ples of the village, and their brethren of the vicinity, met, and continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, and the great Head of the church was pleased to manifest himself present by the influences of his Holy Spirit. The proclamation of divine truth was made in that place, at first, only on sabbath evenings and week-day evenings, by the late Rev. Dr. Newman, who sought, as his only requital, to introduce the gospel, and win souls to Christ. Mr. Marten had not long been in the village, before he perceived that the honoured, although humble sanctuary was insufficient to accommodate the worshippers; and that the one sabbath-day service was not sufficient for a population, within which there was (at that time) no other place of worship, except that of the respected Society of Friends. In these circumstances he urged the necessity of other services on the sabbath, and afterwards sought to obtain more commodious accommodation. It was to him a source of great joy, when he saw this work of faith prosper. How many are there now present, who can attest the regularity of his attendance, the earnestness and copiousness of his prayers and thanksgiving, as well as his superintending and fostering care of all its institutions.

Next to the consciousness of here enjoying personal communion with God, and of his family partaking with him in the means of religious instruction and worship, and associating in the ordinances of Christ, he was much gladdened in spirit in knowing, that here sinners were converted, and saints edified; and that they continued walking together in unity and love. He often very gratefully acknowledged the goodness of God, in giving him both the means and the inclina¬ tion to promote the preaching of the gospel here-esteeming very highly the christian friends co-operating with him, giving all praise to God, and only regarding himself as the humble instrument in the divine hand.

With respect to his general benevolence something must be stated, and some commendation must be pardoned. He was, in this respect, that which God was pleased to make him; and he regarded it a privilege to be an almoner for him. We have no occasion to harrow up the distresses of Germany, or those consequent on the decisive, and, it is hoped, final battle of Waterloo,-or to refer to the starving population of the sister kingdom,--or to our poor weavers in Spitalfields, under severe privation, in a season of depressed trade,-to prove that his heart was keenly alive to the sufferings of mankind. The widows and orphans of seamen and landsmen, and the poor around, would

willingly tell us that they had lost a sympathizing and generous friend.

Even when on his last marriage-tour, he did not forget the bearing of his newly-formed connexion on this christian society, and on the village. After expressing his hope that the relationship might be for the glory of God, and the real good of the church, his language was-" I have considered its responsibilities,-its influences; and I trust, that the step which I have recently taken, will appear to be in merciful answer to fervent supplication. May our church at Plaistow -may the schools-the Society-the neighbourhood, feel, that in mercy, the wisdom of providence has directed me for their respective advantages." It is well known that his prayers were fully answered, and his highest desires fulfilled in this respect.

He had been very exemplary in duty and affection as a son; and he urged this obligation strongly, whenever he had the opportunity; his language in writing on this subject was," however disappointed I am in not seeing you, I think that you have done right, in effectually complying with the fifth commandment. May its promise be your's; till, like a shock of corn fully ripe, you shall be gathered into the garner of everlasting blessedness!"

As a master he esteemed it his duty to be affable, considerate and kind to his domestics; and the last interview he had, except with attendants and relatives necessarily about him, was with an old servant whom he requested to see, and with whom, only a very short time before his decease, he affectionately exchanged the hope of meeting in heaven.

However delicate may be the task, any account of Mr. Marten would be defective, that did not include a reference to his parental character. From their earliest years, it was his studious desire to make his children happy, and to commend religious instruction by making it pleasing to them; and to show that when rightly pursued, it really conduced to happiness, even in early life. When his children were called, in the providence of God, to leave the parental habitation, he failed not continually to remember them in his prayers, and to sympathize with them in all their comforts, mercies, and trials :-their joys were his joys-their griefs his. A very few extracts from his letters will testify, how deeply he felt interested in their temporal and spiritual welfare;-and his sentiments towards one, were the senti

ments towards all:-"I assure you," he says, "I never turn my thoughts to your residence, but I feel an indescribable satisfaction-a grateful sense of God's providential kindness-and a prayerful spirit. O that they might live before thee!"

to

On another occasion, he writes:-"To you, my dear daughter, I again offer my sincere congratulations on the renewal of God's mercies you, and I pray that the children whom it has pleased God to give you, may be comforts to you ;-that it may please him to give to them his grace, to accept the Messiah-the Sent of the Father, and that to their eternal salvation."

On another occasion, when the cloud of affliction had overspread the family of one of his children, he says-"You have already experienced that this is, at best, but a chequered scene; and that man is born to trouble,' must have its truth exemplified in your experience, as in the experience of others; but if you are mutually bearers of each other's burdens, and helpers of each other's joys;-if, together, you unite in fervency of spirit, serving the Lord-putting your trust in Him-and training your children in the way which they should goand carrying to him the sorrows which result from providential dispensations, you will have divine consolations and blessings which will turn sorrows themselves into subjects for thanksgivings."

He felt the same interest for his beloved grand-children, as if they were really his own offspring. Their birthdays seldom returned without a letter of congratulation and good wishes. His counsels to them were uniformly given, with the warmest evidence of his great affection for them, and his lively concern for their eternal welfare. He often wrote to them, and was much gratified in hearing from, as well as of them. On the morning of his decease, he was informed that intelligence had been received of the safe arrival of the ship bearing one of his grand-daughters to India ;-"Thank God," said he, "that I have lived to receive that intelligence !"

Those who best knew Mr. Marten, might calculate that, according to probability, the closing years of his life-a life so actively and usefully spent, could not fail of being happy; but it does not always please the great Head of the church to conduct the process of sanctification with undisturbed peace, even when the actions of the previous life may appear friendly and conducive to it. But even naturally, in the case before us, there were the seeds of lowness of spirits. Though

usually so full of vivacity, there were seasons when he sunk into deep though temporary depression; so that it was not unnatural that he should, at times, call in question his safety. There were also diseases at work, slowly hut certainly operating through many years, often occasioning excitement and irritability, and, with almost equal frequency, producing depression. It was, therefore, not matter of surprise, that he sometimes walked in darkness and saw no light. It was no evidence of the unfaithfulness of God, that occasionally he was led to cry" that I did but know that I am a child of God.".

Men of the world might be ready to say, that surely the recollection of the good he had done would sustain him in death, and secure him a peaceful anticipation of reward. This was not his sentiment-he had not so learned Christ. He had risen to some eminence in the knowledge of his own heart and his sentiment and language were, "If I get to heaven, it will not be on the ground of merit-not one atom of my merit will then serve me— but thy merit alone, O blessed Jesus!" He was very thankful that God had enabled him to do some good in the world-to make some efforts for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom;—yet, on the review of his motives, he saw so much of impurity in them, that he appeared overwhelmed with sorrow. "The love of human applause," he said, "often actuated me, and led me on. Men have commended that, which God could not commend ; and I fear I shall fall short of the kingdom."

His growingly nice perception discovered to him sins of thought and of heart, as well as of action, which at the time he had not detected; and he often brought them to the footstool of mercy with penitence and tears; and with the earnestness of the new convert, humbly entreated pardon. It was suggested to him, that the protestant christian has his state of purgatory, as well as the papist-only that his is on this side eternity, (when God is refining the soul-sanctifying it, to make it meet for himself;)--and that the true believer in Christ, brought into this purgatory, views, through his quickened sense of sin, his past iniquity and defects in an aggravated light: and yet, he really is, in his heavenly Father's hand, attaining to a meetness for that state, where there is no defilement. He was pleased with the suggestion,often thought of it and God as often cheered him, and led him to hope that he was in truth passing through this preparatory stage to the blessedness and purity of the church triumphant. Still, Satan took occasion of his natural infirmities -- his weakness and solicitude;—and often assailed and buffetted him. He was persecuted of the adversary, but not forsaken-cast down, but not destroyed.

On one occasion, when bewailing his sins, and expressing apprehension that one so unworthy could not be admitted to partake of the glory of God's blessed presence, he was asked if he could question either the efficacy of the blood of Christ to sanctify him, or the power of faith to justify him. His answer was very emphatic :-" Oh no!— I cannot give up Christ-he is my rock and refuge-my comforter when I am cast down-my Saviour-my all. Had I but a view of the brightness and glory of that blessed and holy place where God isand where Christ is and where they are, who have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, how happy should I then be! Lord take me to thyself."

Numerous and deeply interesting particulars could have been added, did not time forbid. Ecstacy he did not experience. He discarded all human merit; but having endeavoured to exhibit the fruits of faith in the devoted life, he trusted for salvation solely to the merits and sacrifice of the Redeemer, and was gathered into the garner like a shock of corn in his season.

RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY.

(Continued from page 12.)

3. Controversy on religious subjects is more or less adverse to piety. Some who have been much engaged in it, and have felt that, in some sense, they were called to it as a matter of duty, have not been the last to acknowledge its unpropitious effect on the feelings and temper, as was true in regard to Melancthon, Baxter, and others. They were free to confess of how small service their controversial writings had been, as means of doing good to themselves or others. And as a matter of fact, do we not find that such is the character of these efforts? How little are Baxter's numerous, or rather innumerable controversial writings remembered, and how little good have they done comparatively; while his practical works, as his "Saint's Rest," and " Call to the Unconverted," will, doubtless, be co-extensive with the duration of the church on earth; as they have already been the means of the conversion of myriads of souls! Had less contention been carried on, and more of a practical exhibition been made of the truth, how much had it subserved the interests of piety, both in those who wrote, and in the community of christians at large!

To the disputants themselves what, commonly, can be conceived more clogging to devotion, more uncongenial to kind and charitable feelings towards others, or more embarassing to the mind's humility