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day, in speaking of the late denunciations of the priests against the books, that the Maltese in Tripoli all tremble at the threat of a priest; that the street passing by the American consulate, has of late become a suspicious street, and is constantly watched, and to render it odious is called the free-mason's street. * "29.-A Maltese Merchant, often employed by the consul to make little purchases, called on business. I asked him if he had a Bible. He said No.' Then said I, you are a seaman without a compass. We have our own compass,' said he. I replied, God has given to man but one compass, and this is his holy word, the Bible. The Bible,' he replied, is against our religion.' Well done, said I, that is an excellent confession. Do not forget it-the Bible against your religiondo not forget it. John,' said the consul, I wish you to taks 20 Bibles into your shop for me for sale.' I would not have a Bible in my shop for 50 guineas; but, added he, I did not come here to talk about business. You was born a Protestant: then be a Protestant.I was born a Catholic and I will live and die a Catholic. Let no man change his religion, for whoever does this, you may always set him down as a rascal.

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[MISSIONARY HERALD.

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CONVERSION OF PROFESSOR FRANCKE, OF HALLE,

GERMANY.

He had now been engaged in the study of theology, was perfectly familliar with the letter of the Scriptures, and had gone through the routine of studies with uncommon assiduity. At this period (while at Leipsic) it pleased God to give him daily more and more conviction of his unworthiness, as well as more & more solicitude to change his situation. But although he was now impressed with a full belief of the necessity and importance of conversion, he found himself so entangled with the things of this world, that he despaired of being able to extricate himself and lift his affections higher. The exterior difficulty seemed to be removed by his change of situation, when he went to Luneburg. Cut off there from wordly society, to which he was accustomed, and brought into contact with consistent and exemplary Christians, he now found that there was an obstacle more seri. ous than mere external circumstances; he felt more than ever the necessity of a change, and the existence of some obstacle with himself to its production. While in this state of mind, he received an appointment to preach in St. John's Church, and finding himself no more disposed to regard the service as a mere exercise in eloquence, he felt deep solicitude so to perform the task as to edify his hearers.He was still engrossed with those thoughts, when he fell upon the text, (John xx, 21.-"These are written that ye might know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life through his name."

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While reflecting on the meaning of these words, and on the difference between imaginary and true faith, the thought occurred to him, that he was himself destitute of this important quality. It was in vain that he endeavoured to withstand the strong conviction which now fastened on his soul. It was in vain that he reverted to his books and even to the Scriptures for relief; he could find it neither in God's word nor in man's. In the agony of his soul he prayed, that if there is indeed a God, he would have compassion on him. While in this state of mind, he resolved, unless some change should occur, to abstain from preaching against his conscience. For," to borrow his own most expressive terms, "I felt too sensible what it was to have no God upon whom to lay hold; to bemoan my sins without knowing wherefore, or who it was that caused my tears to flow; or whether there was in reality a God, who was offended at me! In such anguish," he continues, "I knelt down upon that Sunday, and called upon the God and Saviour whom I knew not, and believed not in. for deliverance from this miserable situation, if indeed there was a God and Saviour. The Lord heard me : heard me instantly: all my doubts vanished. I was assured in my own heart of the grace of God in Christ. All sorrow and uneasiness departed from me, and I was inundated as with a flood of joy. I had bent my knees in great distress and doubt. I rose again with unutterable confidence and joy. I felt as if through all my past life I had been lying in a profound sleep, and performed all my actions in a dream, and as if I had now for the first time been awakened; I was perfectly convinced that all the world, with all its pleasures, could not produce in the human heart such delicious joys as I experienced; and I saw distinctly that after such foretastes of God's grace and goodness, the world with its charms would have little power to allure me." On the Wednesday following he preached upon the text which he had chosen with great inward satisfaction. From this hour Francke dated his conversion; and in this hour, as he himself declared in his prayer in the garden of the orphan house, forty years afterwards, God opened in his heart a spring from which exhaustless streams of joy and consolation had been flowing ever since.-Biblical Repertory.

FOOLS.

"Professing themselves to be wise, they become fools."
"Such are all heretics."

This sentence we extracts from a Roman Catholic paper printed In this city, called the Jesuit. The substance of the sentence is, all heretics are fools But who in the estimation of the Catholics, are heretics? We answer, those who are guilty of the heinous and unpardonable sin of denying the infallibility of the Pope, Cardinals and Romish church; those who declare the wickedness of using images in worship; those who disbelieve in the blasphemous dogma of transubstantiation; those who believe in the impossibility of man's forgiving sin against God; those who disbelieve in any scriptural autho

rity for auricular confessions to a priest, of popish penances, and of the sacrifices of the mass; those who declare it idolatry to call upon any other mediator than the Lord Jesus Christ; those who consider it their duty to found their religion wholly upon the Bible and spirit of God." These sentiments are what constitutes a heretic, and "all heretics are fools." It follows then, that some of the best and wisest men who ever lived were fools; and St. Paul himself was a very distinguished fool. To the writers, of such liberal, sensible, profoundly erudite. and catholic sentiments we think the words of Job peculiarly applicable. "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you."-[N. E. Herald.

PRAYER.

Till we ministers have wrestled with God like Jacob-prevailed with Him, and obtained His blessing, can we expect to prevail with men? Can we be wise to win souls to God, while we reject his counsel as to the right way? Can we answer at His bar, when the cries of perishing sinners, once committed to our care, are witnessing against us? Or will it there excuse our negligence, that we pointed out the enthusiasm or knavery of some who were active? On the contrary, the effects often produced by evangelical truth, when found in bad hands, should rouse us to the consideration of what ought to be expected in better.

A weak man may expose the truth, and a bad man may pervert it, yet such honour has God put upon his gospel, as sometimes to afford an evidence which the preacher of it must otherwise destroy. Folly and craft mixed with the truth, like any foul matter falling into medicine, may impede its good effect. Yet as there are medicines so potent as to work a cure through all impediments; so the gospel is found sometimes prevailing through circumstances which seem completely calculated to render it of no effect.

But being the true medicina mentis, even the empiric that stumbles in his specific, will often cure where the regular physician, pursuing some presumptuous theory, may kill.—Cecil.

"He that rebuketh a man, afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue," Prov. xxviii, 23.

There is no duty which we owe to our fellow men which requires more prudence in its exercise than that of giving reproof. No duty is more clearly required in the law of God, by Moses, than this:"Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." This is enjoined by the same authority which enforces "Thou shalt not steal-or bear false witness-or covet." But he who would rebuke another for a fault ought always to restrain all passion, and prejudice, and hardness. He should be modest, open, can

did, breathing nothing but love and good will. There are various methods of rebuking, and it is always best to consider the state and condition of the person to be reproved. Use that method which is the most likely to produce a favorable effect. A single sentence often carries with it subject matter for a great deal of consideration. I will give a few instances which will much better illustrate this subject than could be done by a long course of dissertation.

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Mr. S. W., an Episcopal clergyman, was in a coffee-house at London, and heard among a number of gentlemen, an officer of the guards using much vulgar and profane language. Finding he could not speak to him without great difficulty, he desired the waiter to fetch him a glass of water. When it was brought he said aloud, Carry it to that gentleman in the red coat, and desire him to wash his mouth after his oaths." The gentleman resented it at first, but those with him said, 66 Colonel, you have given the first offence. You see the gentleman is a clergyman. You know it is an affront to swear in his presence." Some years after, Mr. W. was in London, walking in St. James' Park, when a gentleman joined him, who, after some conversation, asked him if he recollected ever to have seen him be fore. Mr. W. replied in the negative. The geutleman then called to his remembrance the scene at the coffee-house, and added, "Since that time, sir I thank God, I have feared an oath, and every thing that is offensive to Divine Majesty-and as I have a perfect recollection of you, I rejoice at seeing you, and could not refrain from expressing my gratitude to God and you."

THE SECRET OUT.

A Roman Catholic correspondent of the Pittsburg Christian Heald says:

"The swarm of locusts which now infest the earth, are sharing the same fate of the Arians and Manacheans. A war is waging be tween heresy and infidelity, (par nobile fratrum,) which will result in the defeat of the former. Then mankind will return to health; for it is much easier to make impressions on a blank sheet, than on one which is defaced with all manner of prejudices and contradictions."

On this the editor of the Herald remarks :-" In this paragraph the mystery is explained, It has been rather a matter of wonder, that the Romanists should appear to unite so much in feeling with infidels, in opposing protestants, or those who walk in the way which they call heresy." But here Philo has indirectly let out the secret. Infidelity is to defeat heresy; mankind will be left as a blank sheet, and POPERY, in blazing capitals, can be inscribed upon it. This would appear to be his hope. And does not this account for that evident willingness to unite with infidels, to banish every religious institution, except those peculiar to the papal church?"

INTELLIGENCER.

The Bible our rule of faith!-The right of private judgment our privilege.
Hier stehe ich, ich kann nicht anders ;-Gott helfe mir! Amen !--LUTHER

VOL. V.]

DECEMBER, 1830.

[No. 10

THE REV. JACOB GOERING.

The late Rev. Jacob Goering, whose likeness we have prefixed, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, A. D. 1754, of very respectable parentage. At an early day, he evinced great talents, and surpasssed all his school-fellows in application and talents. The inclination to enter the Ministry, existed already, whilst at school, for during the hours of recreation, he would collect his comrades, and preach, pray and sing, for which reason he was generally called, "the young Parson."

His greatest delight was to read, and hence he borrowed every book in the neighborhood of his residence, to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. As may be expected, he was but of little service on the farm of his parents. His Father, and several neighbors had long been convinced, that God would call him to labour in his vineyard, but it was resolved, to consult the Rev. Dr. Helmuth, then Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran church in Lancaster. Accordingly the Father, accompanied by his son Jacob, visited the Dr. who soon discovered that Jacob possessed more than ordinary talents, and a great share of piety, and from that moment received him as a student, and prepared him for a servant of Jesus Christ, in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Of his piety, successful labours in the conversion of sinners, deep Theological and Mathematical knowledge-devotedness to the doctrines and discipline of his church, no one ever doubted, that enjoyed the privilege, of being in his society. In York, where, Vol. V. No. 80.

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