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penitence of the poor sinner, whom he would spurn from his feet. We endeavour to comfort that poor sinner with the assurance, that whilst there is life there is hope; that nothing is impossible to the grace of God; that, though she must not sin, in the confidence of repentance and pardon, because that would be adding blasphemy to her other offences; yet, out of the depths of misery into which sin has plunged her, she may lift up an eye of hope to God; and may confess, and weep, and pray in the fond expectation, that her prayers and tears will be registered in the volume of the Divine remembrance and compassion; that if, through the Saviour, she looks humbly to the throne of God, she will see the golden sceptre of his love, outstretched to bid her approach and be saved. Such reflections, then, will be sufficient to convince us, that the objection now under notice is in the highest degree dishonorable to God.

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However, let us take another view of the matter. The objection itself will be found to constitute one of the strongest evidences for the necessity of Penitentiaries. The objection, as we have seen, chiefly maintains its authority, in conscientious minds, by the aid of two causes: the one is their hatred of sin and the other their persuasion of the rare occurrence of real penitence and reform. But, these two causes, if rightly investigated, will be found to furnish the strongest reasons for multiplying and extending institutions such as these. Pause for a moment, and ask yourself whether you hate sin. And is the sin, connected with our present discussion, and all its disgusting and tremendous consequences peculiarly terrible to your eyes? If so,—because your enemy is strong, will you unchain him? Because he is terrible, will you cast the rein on his neck? Because

he has power to break all ordinary bonds, will you throw away the only one which even pretends to bind him?

Now, in viewing the vice to which our remarks have more peculiarly referred, we look at it, not in the light in which many of your self-called " men of good heart" appear to regard it,—as a simple act of somewhat criminal indulgence ;-but, in its proper deformity, and surrounded with all its tremendous results. We look at it as the terror of thousands of anxious parents, hanging in fearful suspense over the fate of their children. We look at it-as the savage foe of all domestic happiness. We look at it-as the murderer of thousands of poor young creatures, who perish every year prematurely, disgracefully, in anguish and in despair. We look at it-as stained with the blood and tears of all these, and of multitudes to whose ruin no eye is a witness but that of God. We look at it, moreover-as the enemy which follows numbers of those poor lost wretches, cut off in sin and impenitence, beyond the grave, to the tribunal of God, and delivers in the awful testimony that plunges their souls into everlasting perdition.

It is therefore that we rejoice to plead the cause of Institutions such as these; and we warmly entreat every Christian, without delay to give his substantial aid, his money, his time, his sanction, and his prayers -to the furtherance of so great an object.

Do you then, indeed, loathe the sin to which our attention is now called? Then come and help us to clear our streets of the incentives to it,-to dry up some of the sources of the infection,—to dam up the tide which threatens to overwhelm all the decencies and comforts of life.

To those who entertain the apprehension, that offenders of this class cannot be brought to real repentance, we would say:-Will common sense allow us to do less, in proportion as the difficulty of the work is greater? Because some penitence is false, shall we throw away every hope of repentance? Because institutions can give no guarantee for the sincerity of all their penitents, shall we determine as far as in us lies, to have no penitents at all?

In a word, then, we would most earnestly impress upon you, that general decorum, the safety of your children and servants, public interest and private happiness, manners, morals, religion, your neighbourhood, your country-all expect and require you to do your duty in this good cause. I. W. Č. *

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This article will be published in a few days as a Tract. It may be obtained at Houlston and Stoneman's, Paternoster Row; or at the office of the London Female Mission.

To them at peace with God:
But grace must be
First giv'n and free ;-

There's none for me,-A Magdalene!

I've heard of Jesus' name,

Who on the gospel-day,

Received all that came,

Nor turn'd a wretch away!

Though all forbear,

Will Jesus hear,

In earnest prayer,-A Magdalene?

Methinks I feel a ray

Of hope arising round;
Some angel points the way,-
Here's an Asylum found!
What's this I see?

And can it be

Inviting me,-A Magdalene?

And will you, can you take

A wretch like me within?

Will you, for Jesus' sake,
Help me to flee from sin?
Oh, love divine,

For grace to shine

On guilt like mine,-A Magdalene!

Here, then, in this retreat

My soul shall wait and pray;

Nor rise from Jesus' feet

Till sin be put away!

Jesus will hear,

And answer prayer;

And say, Lo! here A Magdalene!

MASTERS AND SERVANTS.

Ir is the duty of every master and mistress ever to bear in mind that they, by the indulgence of a kind Providence, have authority over persons who are, in reality only their own fellow-servants, for they both have one common Master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons, in whose eyes the

soul of the meanest servant is as valuable as that of the highest master, by whom all shall be judged with the same impartiality,-by whom the unjust and cruel master, as well as the dishonest and disobedient servant shall have his portion assigned him with the workers of iniquity. It is the duty, therefore, of every master and mistress to point out to their servants, both by precept and example, the road to heaven and happiness. And for their encouragement, God hath pledged his word, that they who turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever; and commended Abraham, saying, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord." But it is not only your duty as heads of families to look after the religious improvement of your servants, especially on the Sabbath-it is your present interest. Wicked and hypocritical persons, may, indeed, use religion as a cloak, in order to deceive you; but is it not evident that the servant who really has the principles of religion impressed upon his mind, is found to be honest, faithful, and obedient to you, by ties a hundred-fold stronger than the profligate and the profane? That servant who lives under a constant sense that he acts, at all times, under the eye of Him to whom he must soon give in his final account, must feel himself bound by ties ten thousand times stronger, to act with honesty, faithfulness and obedience in your service, than one whose profane and profligate conduct prove that he has not the fear of God before his eyes. What is it which makes bad servants or dishonest men in any station? It is just the want of a true sense of religion. And the master who disregards the religious principles of his servants, sets an irreligious example

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