their temporal and spiritual wants, and being just returned from these receptacles of guilt and misery, his words came warm from the heart.

"A liberal subscription was forthwith entered into for the relief of the prisoner, and should they need more pecuniary aid, the St. Petersburgh Committee will help them.

During the time of his illness Admiral Pritzman visited him, when Howard told the Admiral that he felt his death was near, and that he had prepared his will. He requested that at his interment the English burial service might be read, and his remains to be committed to the earth at a distance from the city, there to remain unknown to the human race.

The Admiral observing that he was inclined to be very pensive, endeavoured to change the subjeet of conversation: but Howard immediately interrupted him, and said, “The thoughts of death present nothing terrible to me." I feel that I must die-to-day-or to-morrow-it is the same. Mutability is the lot of man-a law which the Monarch and the slave must equally obey." Here again he became exceedingly thoughtful, but soon added, "I desire no monument—no inscription-I would only desire that a sun dial might be placed on my grave." He then looked tenderly on those who surrounded his bed-afterward on the beams of the sun-then upon his servant, who had travelled every where with him, and who stood penetrated with grief, and throwing his eyes once more on the by-standers--He expired."

"After the meeting, we dined with several of the Members under the hospitable roof of Mr. Berlofsky, with whom we resided. He is the Treasurer of the Bible Society in Cronstadt, and wherever we find a true friend of that kindred Institution, we are sure to find a Prison Man.'

"I must mention, that the Russian Bible Society has resolved to supply the Prison Society with Bibles and Testaments for the use of the prisoners, gratis.

"When we had dined, we all visited the Naval Hospital. It occurred to me that the sick were not supplied with the Scriptures, and I proposed that we should take with us a good supply of the four Gospels and the Acts, printed in the Slavonian and Modern Russ. Accordingly Doctor Pinkerton and I supplied every ward through which we passed, being in all fifty-eight. Here also I distributed the remainder of my tracts. By this plan 1217 sick men were furnished with the means of attaining everlasting life. The poor fellows were soon observed to assemble together in groups, and to press on one another to hear the word of God-some of them with a Tract, and others with a Testament, reading aloud to those who rejoiced to hear the great truths of the gospel. We also visited the Lying-in-Hospital and

another for unfortunate women, and supplied them with the Holy Scriptures. It would have cheered your heart to have been with us.

"The Emperor proposes to return to his Capital from Warsaw next October, when the plan of the new prison that has been drawn under my direction, will be laid before him, which if his Majesty approves will be carried into execution without delay.

66

Thus, my dear friend, the divine blessing seems to attend every step we take in our heavenly work. In this way the labourer is amply repaid for his toils. We certainly are indulged in these remarkable times with golden opportunities of doing good-and on a scale so extensive, that we may humbly hope, that in future years it will be productive of greater usefulness, and in comparison of which the present auspicious period may be considered merely as the seed-time.

"In some way or other we may all be useful, for where is the city, or town, or village, in which Providence has not permitted to reside the poor, the sick, or the prisoner? From them we are commanded not to hide ourselves. On Christian principles we are bound to search them out, and to administer relief and comfort to them as

far as our ability extends. It is a solemn thought that they will soon be placed beyond the reach of our kindness, and we ourselves may stand chargeable with not having known our blessed and merciful Saviour in those humble forms in which he is still pleased to appear among us. " I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat, sick and in prison and ye visited me not."

"I am now on the eve of my departure from Russia. This morning I called on the dear Prince Galitzin, to take leave of him and to thank him for all his kindness."

He was not merely on the eve of his departure from Russia but his labours were almost completed. It was the exalted privilege of Mr. Venning to have accomplished much in a little time; and although he deeply deplored his inefficiency, and often looked back with shame that so large a portion of his life should have been spent in vain, yet the contemplative reader will be ready to pause and examine the hand of Providence, which made a single individual the instrument of effecting so much. Now as every

effect must have an adequate cause, as the flame cannot perpetually ascend unless the fire be often replenished, so there must be some secret cause which operated as an impetus to the mind of Mr.

Venning. He was continually engaged, and his works were worthy of imitation; hence it becomes a secret worth knowing by what means he was thus actuated.-It might have been considered unfair to reveal this, if he had been still alive, but as he is far removed beyond the praise or censure of mortals, it will not be accounted sacrilege to develope the whole scene. While multitudes were trifling away their precious moments, and bringing down on themselves the everlasting displeasure of Almighty God, he was trimming his lamp, and preparing materials for future usefulness. He enters into his closet, shuts the door, prays to the Father who seeth in secret : reads those remarkable words of the Evangelist, "Jesus saith unto his disciples, Let us go again into Judea. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again ?" and then he writes down the followig meditations, " May I shew the like intrepidity of soul in his service, taking all opportunities of performing the duties of life while the season of it lasts; then when the night of death comes, it will close my eyes in peaceful slumbers, 'till the awful realities of the resurrection burst upon me, and Christ shall take all his faithful servants unto himself for ever."