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A hint is furnished by this sketch to those who employ young men. Ought all your concern for them to terminate in a mere cold physical exaction of labour? Is it Christian, is it human, to regard them merely as so much muscle and brain? Should not something of the father blend with the master? Should not a watchful eye be kept on their health, and an affectionate admonition be given if there be reason to suspect their habits? Say not in the criminally selfish spirit of Cain: "Am I my brother's keeper?" He who will one day be your Judge, says: "Let no man seek his own,”his own exclusively,-"but every man another's welfare." In this case as in others, sound policy urges to the adoption of right principle.

Should not every Christian man evince a regard for our young men? A word of recognition and encouragement to a youth, if it answered no other purpose, would shield him from the chilling feeling that he is uncared for. What heart is not touched at the withering sense of loneliness experienced by young Hessel! Fathers show yourselves the friends of the young man. Treat him with the affability you would desire were you in his position.

Nor must those who have yielded to seductive influences be overlooked. Many, like the subject of this memoir, have a valuable substratum of moral sensibility underlying a thin crust of evil-the deposit of an early religious training. Many experience seasons of bitter self-reproach and earnestly purpose to abandon a course they feel to be destructive, but they lack the requisite moral strength. The influence of more depraved companions is over-powering. The grasp of a kind, Christian hand would rescue them. "Men of Israel help."

If a youth is sceptical, let us not deem that a reason for abandoning him. It is rather a reason for giving him special attention. Mayhap his scepticism is purely mental. Though truth and error are in utter contrast, no one

HOW TO TREAT SCEPTICAL YOUTHS.

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Encourage him

If you cannot solve them,
Rightly treated he will

believes the contrast to be always palpable. Error ofttimes invests herself in the garb of truth, and when the mind has repeatedly found itself deceived-proved that to be worthless it had esteemed invaluable is it to be wondered if suspicion is created? The fact is that a youth bent on investigation-resolved to accept conclusions on no man's ipse-dixit-can no more help doubting than he can help thinking. A heathen historian is reported to have said that the search for truth is so arduous that most men adopt opinions which are ready-made. When therefore a youth is nobly resolved to tread the arduous path, shall we frown upon him? Shall we not rather bid him God speed? Take him by the hand, my brother. frankly to propound his doubts. introduce him to one who can. probably become a man of power-a blessing to the world. And if his scepticism is of the heart, be assured you are more likely to confirm him in it than allure him from it, by rebukeful words or chilling looks. Wise and weighty are the words of Canon Stanley on this subject. "How many hours, days, and years would have been spared from waste!-what promise of future usefulness might have been saved from utter ruin, if we had all of us always remembered that the growing mind cannot be treated as the mind full grown; that the errors, (if we choose to call them by so grave a name,) the opinions of youth, are usually but as passing clouds, to be treated gently and kindly, not hardly or severely." Whether the ardent youthful inquirer shall become a pillar in truth's glorious temple or a weapon employed against her, depends, in nine cases out of ten, on the treatment he receives from her professed friends.

"In resuming the thread of this eventful story,' I only observe that my seriousness greatly increased. I com

menced the practice of private devotion which I had for years neglected; and took out of my desk the dusty Bible my mother had deposited in my trunk when I came to York. I had never entered the doors of a Dissenting chapel, except occasionally to hear Mr. Parsons. I.began to attend his evening sermons regularly and felt myself wonderfully interested, I confess I knew not why. I was not much impressed, but could not keep away. This general interest ripened into a deep personal concern for the salvation of my soul. Mr. Parsons usually preaches a sermon to the young on the first Sabbath in the new year. This sermon I felt a strong desire to hear. I had a pressing invitation to spend that evening in the country. I believe I offended my friends by my determined purpose to attend Lendal chapel. I can well remember the emotions with which I went to the house of God that evening. My heart actually throbbed, and such was my eagerness to secure a seat, that although very early, I unconsciously ran along the street. The chapel was crowded. With breathless solicitude I awaited the arrival of the preacher, and when I saw him in the pulpit, an inexpressible feeling of delight stole over me, rendering it almost impossible to conceal my emotions. If ever any one came prepared to hear a sermon, I came prepared to hear that. I drank in every sentence. The text was from Timothy, 'Let no man despise thy youth.' I distinctly remember many passages of the sermon. I attempt not to give you any idea of the impression they produced. With the appeal I was overpowered. I retired to weep, to pray, to give myself to God.

"On that evening I became decided. I knew a great deal of the way of salvation from childhood, but it began now to unfold itself more distinctly. I soon began to think of entire consecration to the service of God, and after many severe mental struggles, relinquished all my worldly

GOD AN ALL-SUFFICIENT PORTION.

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prospects. I mentioned my desires to Mr. Parsons, who expressed his willingness to give me a recommendation to any of our Colleges. My father kindly bought out the last year of my apprenticeship, and about a year and a half ago I entered Airedale College. I need not tell you, my dear C., that I have had harassing difficulties and temptations, but I never was so happy as I am now. Although I am constitutionally prone to melancholy my life is one of rich enjoyment. The very sensibility which produces depression creates the most intense kind of happiness. Those intellectual yearnings which I have cherished from infancy are now satisfied in the pursuit of the noblest truths the human mind can contemplate. I now see that God is an all-sufficient portion, and that without Him the restless soul can never be happy."

"I love, and have some cause to love, the earth-
She is my Maker's creature, therefore good;

She is my mother, for she gave me birth;

She is my tender nurse, she gives me food ;—
But what's a creature, Lord, compared with Thee!
Or what's my mother or my nurse to me?

In having all things, and not Thee, what have I ?
Not having Thee, what have my labours got?
Let me enjoy but Thee, what further crave I?
And having Thee alone, what have I not?

I wish nor sea nor land, nor would I be

Possessed of Heaven, Heaven unpossessed of Thee."

Two or three supplementary facts have been supplied which merit record. When about eight years old he walked from Catterton to York, a distance of seven miles, to purchase for himself a book. His thirst for knowledge, thus early developed, was not associated with any precocity of intellect. At Market Weighton he attracted no particular attention from the master, and was surpassed by several boys in the despatch of routine duties. In his case, as in

C

most others, sureness was allied to slowness. Acquirements were retained.

Toward the close of his apprenticeship he became so engrossed with studies as to betray an occasional mental absence unpleasant to the customer, and, of course, injurious to his masters. This was so evidently increasing that one day a lady was constrained to mention it to one of them. Young Hessel was soon informed of the communication, and ingenuously replied: "I know it, Sir. The fact is I cannot serve two masters." The satisfactoriness of his answer was sufficiently attested by the presentation of a copy of Dwight's Theology, in five octavo volumes, on his departure.

Though he would never have contemplated offering himself as a candidate for the Christian ministry while a stranger to converting grace-for he well knew that evidence of conversion was essential to obtaining recommendation from any section of the non-established church in England -he had some early premonition that he should be called to that office. During several past years all thoughts of it had been absent, but the impression produced by Mr. Parsons' sermon on the first Sunday in 1832 led to the kindling of strong desires for that sphere of usefulness. On the Sunday following he writes: "I recollect that three or four years ago my mind was strongly impressed with an idea that I might be called to the ministry. I have felt strong desires to enter it during the last two or three days."

The accompanying extract from his Journal is worthy of insertion, if it were only for the encouragement it furnishes to the faithful minister of Christ. It is but one of many instances in which the labours of such a minister produce results unknown and unsuspected by him. Jan. 30th. During the past week I have been occupied with French, and Locke's Essay on the Understanding. I make but little progress in religion. I am harassed with perplexing doubts, and I do not feel that devotional spirit I could wish.

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