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Rathven, in Banffshire; and Crimond, New Deer, Logie, and Insch, in Aberdeenshire.

Instead of giving à formal journal, I shall rather adduce a few facts, which compel me to think that the appearances are becoming more favourable.

1. In most places, there is a greatly increased desire after sermon. From the commencement of our labours, in general the audiences are tolerably good. In various quarters they are gradually on the increase. But there is manifestly a growing desire after sermon. Formerly it sometimes required a little ingenuity to get all the evenings filled up; but this season the difficulty rather has been to get all the demands for sermon answered. There is also a progress in point of solemn attention under the word. The members of the most enlightened and spiritual congregation, could not hear with deeper attention than I have often seen evinced in the glens and remote parts of the 'country. Inquiries are made, whether or not the preaching is to be continued, how it is supported, &c.

2. It was highly gratifying to see, in various instances, how desirous numbers were that the aged individuals in their neighbourhood should have the benefit of a sermon as frequently as possible. This has oftener than once been urged as a plea: "Oh! Sir, we have much need of sermon here. We are two,

or three miles, from any place of worship; and here are aged individuals who are unable to go to a distance to hear sermon, They hear nothing except when a preacher comes round to give them a word in a barn." Often has it gladdened my heart, to see 3 or 4 persons, bending under the weight of 70 or 80 years, come creeping in on the top of their staffs. When the audience was dismissing, they would come forward, and say, "Oh! Sir, we are happy to see you again: we have not heard a sermon since you were in this corner last summer." On one occasion, a woman upwards of 90, though very deaf, yet such was her eager desire to come, that she got some of her neighbours to support her to the place of meeting, which was at some distance from her humble cottage. When people are unable. to go to the gospel, I certainly do think the gospel should go to them. Have heard of a woman, who, after being confined two years from public worship by affliction, requested her minister to come and preach a sermon at her dwelling. He replied, "That if she was unable to repair to the stated place of worship, he was under no obligations to come to her." Such was not Paul's manner: he " taught publicly, and from house to house."

3. An increase of means of instruction. Every year makes additions to the number of Sabbath evening schools, libraries, and prayer-meetings. About 18 schools have been established

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within the range of country which has been more immediately the object of the itinerancy. I do not say, that all these have arisen directly out of it; but one way or another, they have sprung into existence. Besides, the number of select religious libraries is yearly on the increase. Each of the following parishes has one:-Lumphannan, Cluny, Kemnay, Kintore, Newmachar, Huntly, Fraserburgh. Others, to which it cannot be said the itinerating gave birth, have been instituted in Skene, Cabrach, and in Garmond village, parish of Monwhitter. Besides, the Antiburgher congregations in Craigdam, White-hills, Bellhelvie, and Clola, have each, a reading society. The one last mentioned has been long in operation, contains many hundred volumes, and has, I believe, been remarkably useful. There are about fourteen juvenile libraries connected with Sabbath evening schools, and a few more are about to be formed. About ten or twelve prayer-meetings have been set on foot. In one parish, there are four;-two of women, one of men, and a public meeting once a-month, on Sabbath morning, from 10 to 12 o'clock. These two or three summers past, in some places, a public prayer-meeting has been connected with our services on the Lord's day. We preach at 10 in the morning, and at 5 in the afternon. After the first sermon, we have the meeting for prayer. This has been done at New Pitsligo, Inverury, Monymusk, and Cushney. In rather a sequestered part of the country, a few agreed last winter to meet weekly for prayer, and have continued to do so. They met one evening when I was with them in summer. It was 9 o'clock before they could assemble. They said, if it was not inconvenient for me, they did not care how late they sat. Four of them engaged in prayer, and we did not separate until it was past 12 o'clock. I do not know that I ever attended a meeting of that nature with more pleasure. Long may that little company continue to assemble to edify one another; and when they are met, and the doors shut, may the dear Lord Jesus come in, and be in the midst of them!

4. A growing degree of readiness to adopt plans to promote the religious and moral interests of the country. When a plan is proposed, instead of bringing forward all the difficulties and objections which human ingenuity and unbelief can muster; like Mr Raikes, of Gloucester, they are rather determined to avail themselves of that little word," Try." Mr Charles, of Bala, used to say to his friends, "That they ought always to believe that a good work will prosper." Unbelief comes forward with her thousands of difficulties, and will suggest, "that there is a lion in the way, that. nothing can be done." When one yields to such reasonings, they will cramp and paralize all ́ his energies. Let a fair trial be made. Persevere as long as

Carey did in India before he saw fruit, or the Moravians in Greenland, or the Missionaries in the South Sea Islands. to return: when we suggested to them to form a library, they resolved to make the attempt. When it was proposed to make a collection to establish a little reading society, along with a Sabbath evening school, immediately they agreed to it: and, in some instances, £1, 10s. and £1, 11s. have been collected on a Sabbath afternoon for that purpose.

5. In various places, there is a manifest increase of knowledge. At the commencement of these labours, it was sometimes said, (never indeed to the writer himself), "May they not go the heathen; we have preaching enough in this part of the world." But now they begin to see that an increase of instruction is needed, even in Aberdeenshire. Have heard more this summer as to the great want of adequate means of instruction, than on all the former summers. More likewise has been said in commendation of Sabbath schools, than on all the preceding seasons. The vast utility of them is certainly becoming every year more obvious to all thinking people, who feel for the best interests of the rising race. These things I consider as the result of an increase of knowledge.

Those who give evidence of having believed the gospel, apper to be growing in spiritual knowledge. A greater degree of discrimination is evinced in regard to the sermons which they hear, and also with respect to the Scriptures. There is likewise more decision of character. One complained greatly of the general prevalence of carnal conversation on the Lord's day. Since his mind has got more light, this has become to him an intolerable burden. When he is now annoyed with this, in going to and from a place of worship, be immediately asks a question on some spiritual topic. If carnal visitants come to his dwelling, to talk about the crop, the markets, the roups, or the news of the day; he at once takes up his Bible, and begins to read. It is truly delightful to see that the increased knowledge of Christ is drawing the friends of the truth together. For a time they remained unacquainted; they had heard of each others' names, but that was all. Now" bone is coming to his bone." They are beginning to cultivate a close acquaintance, to talk of their own situation, and the state of the country at large.

Various circumstances have contributed to produce these effects. The books which have of late been circulated through the country, in numbers, have excited inquiry. Within these few years, a vast variety of excellent books have in this way been introduced. I was glad to be informed, that one of these itinerant booksellers said, that at present the demand for religious books is greater than for any other. Of late, have frequently been told in various places, that these are producing good ef

fects. A friend of mine, in passing through a very destitute. quarter, entered into conversation with a man, who informed him, that some of Ralph Erskine's sermons, which had found their way into his neighbourhood, had excited a stir. The doctrine was so new that it struck the mind with peculiar force. The tracts also have been of service. Perhaps not fewer than 20,000 have been distributed since the Aberdeenshire Association commenced their operations. We generally inquire if they are preserved, read, and if they are doing any good. After making such inquiries in rather a remote place, the person produced 9 or 10 large parcels stitched together. They were dirty enough to be sure, in consequence of moving through the glen; but they bore evident marks of having been often read. He had adopted a proper plan for preserving tracts. When he saw any of his neighbours rather careless about such as were put into their hands, he would say, "I shall take them, and keep them for you, and lend them to you when you wish them." The Sabbath schools have also contributed their share. Every school becomes a little focus of light. It is evident also that the libraries are doing good. They are producing a general influence and I was glad to hear that particular books also had been of use, such as Meikle's Traveller, Brown's Christian Journal, Edwards on Redemption, Adamson's Loss and Recovery of Elect Sinners, Durham on the 53d of Isaiah, and the Young Cottager. A vast number of old religious magazines, Reports of Bible and Missionary Societies, &c. have been circulated. I know from several facts that these have had some effect. Within these few years, an increased degree of religi ous intercourse has taken place betwixt Aberdeen and the surrounding country. This, I believe, has tended not a little to the increase of spiritual knowledge. All these, taken together, have, under the divine Spirit, concurred to produce effects, on the minds of a few at least, which I hope will not be effaced.

6. An increasing degree of liberality of sentiment among the children of God of all denominations. Some time ago I spent part of a day with an Antiburgher elder, who seemed quite overjoyed at the bright prospects which in that respect are opening to the church of God. I may notice once for all, that I have uniformly met with the greatest kindness from the children of God, of all denominations. On their part, every thing has been done to make me comfortable. So far as we could, have endeavoured to strengthen the hands of all good men. Our object has not been, to drill men into a party. If souls are led to rest their hopes for eternity on the finished work of the divine Redeemer, our object is gained. The ten summers have passed away speedily, and not unpleasantly. No one living has more reason to bless the Lord for his numerous mercies.

When I consider to what privations foreign missionaries are subjected, and missionaries even in the Highlands of our own country, my privations do not deserve to be mentioned. I may bless God, that I have met with no opposition from any class of men. My chief opposition has been from the enemies in my own bosom. I cannot but feel an interest in the country through which I have made so many excursions. Few things would tend more to gladden my heart, than to hear that the seed is beginning to spring up, and to bear in some thirty, fifty, and an hundred fold.

Aberdeen, Nov. 23. 1818.

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For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

THE certainty of the eternal salvation of all who unfeignedly believe in Christ, seems to be clearly and most expressively taught in this verse. The death of Christ is the great, the only and effectual means of reconciling men to God. Man, awakened to a just sense of his guilt and danger, cannot remember God without terror. But God, manifested in Christ, becomes the object of love and hope. The knowledge that God gave up his Son to the death for sinners, imparts peace and excites gratitude: "We love him, because he first loved us." But our peace and hope cannot be permanent, unless we are assured that the Lord Jesus Christ not only died, but is risen from the dead, and lives for ever. Since he lives, we know that the efficacy of his death will continue: we perceive its fitness to purge the conscience from guilt, to purify the heart, and, in a word, to present us without spot before God. If we could follow Christ no farther than the cross or even the grave, we could have had no certainty that his sacrifice was accepted, and, by consequence, no assurance of hope. However suitable his death as an expiation-however much it recommended itself to our consciences as a perfect atonement for sin, or as a demonstration of the love of God; it was impossible that our minds could rest satisfied, unless we were assured that he lives. A living Saviour can alone inspire full confidence. Hence the divine propriety of Jesus' words to his oppressed servant : "Fear not: I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore." And hence said Paul," If Christ is not risen, our faith is vain, and we are yet in our sins." But we have the most satisfactory evidence that he lives. God hath

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