of wrath.' I would rather meet every stranger under the cheering hope that he is one of the blessed family ransomed by the blood of Christ, and I would act towards him as such until I found him in darkness, and then I would desire to make him acquainted with the Saviour, in the hope that God would grant him repentance unto life.'"

"Yes, Harding, we ought to receive every one who we hear shows a consistency of carriage and conduct, but if we see any thing like levity of manner, we cannot suppose them serious characters, and therefore must use caution in countenancing what we consider to be wrong; it certainly is our duty to discourage all that frustrates the growth of inward holiness, and if we have reason to suspect any one of a fondness for the world, and an attachment to its vanities, we should avoid intimacy, and make it evident that we disapprove of their conduct."

"Well, my dear, you must have it your own way; but I can never assent either to the expediency or charity of such views. I would rather make allowances, knowing the deceitfulness of the human heart, for the temptations which prevail over my brethren; and I would do all in my power to win them to the side of religion, by showing them its loveliness."

"But must we not examine how far a conformity to their ways may be found advantageous to our own minds? which after all, should be the first consideration of a Christian."

"True, my dear, but I never thought of conformity to their ways; who that loves his master would desire another service! On the contrary, I would, as I said before, show them the beauty, the loveliness of real piety. I would constrain them by the kindness, the affection, the interest of my manner, to admire, if they would not follow, the principles of a disciple of Christ. But I would never be found occupying their ground; oh no, it should be an invitation to them to join our company; my heart, my house, should be open to them as long as they desired to abide there; but it should be on my conditions, namely, that they should be content to put up with such entertainment, temporal and spiritual, as my views of Christian conduct prescribed."

Mrs. Harding thought her husband's views too unlimited, and feared the adoption of them would prove dangerous to many weak Christians.

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"To weak Christians!" he replied, "yes, my love, but I wish to see strong ones; and it is my opinion, that while they allow their sentiments to become so contracted, and their hearts to

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harbour such suspicious thoughts of their less informed brethren, there will never be any thing but weak Christians. We are commanded to love one another; our Lord does not say, love those only who are deeply influenced by divine truths, and who manifest a spirit of sobriety, watchfulness, and seriousness; but he says, love them all; love those who are tried and tempted by the common enemy, love those even who are overcome of him, and by that very affection, strive to draw them away from the love of unlawful pleasures."

"I quite agree with you about Christian charity and affection, Harding, but I must think we should make a difference between loving all men, as Christ commanded, and choosing them indiscriminately as our companions. I cannot see it right or consistent to mingle with the world."

"No, nor I, we were not alluding to an intimacy with the world, but to a kind and open reception of persons who voluntarily seek our society, aware of what our principles are. Our Lord rejected none who approached Him; even those who followed Him from curiosity were suffered to draw near with the rest."

"Yes, Harding, but our Saviour could be injured by no contaminating evil."

"Certainly He could not; but have we not security from danger by the very principle upon which we act? We use hospitality,' remembering that in entertaining strangers, some have entertained angels unawares.'

Mrs. Harding made no further reply, and Mr. Harding compelled Mary to give an account of the evening's proceedings. “Indeed, my dear friends," he added, "I don't think any of you, (my good little judicious wife excepted) can have formed a very favourable opinion of the state of society among us; as for the poor Percy's, just returned from a place where all was life, and variety, and intellectual conversation, I pity them."

"Amen!" said Mr. Conroy, with a very solemn air.

"We must invite them to dine with us some day, my love," said Mr. Harding.

Mrs. Harding let fall a hesitating, “Yes,” and left the room, to attend to some person who wished to see her.

"You like the Percy's, Mary?"

Mary told Mr. Harding that she had no opportunity of judging, but that they appeared very amiable people, and she wished much to see more of them. "I longed to have some conversation with her," she added, "but there was

a kind of spell over me, that I felt it impossible to speak or move."

"Alas! alas! my dear girl, we human creatures are strange beings, and because we have not difficulties enough, we weave around our feet useless webs, imagining that in imposing unnecessary restraints on our manners and words, we render ourselves more replete with humility, and more acceptable to the Divine Being. I am persuaded that if Christians would leave off some of their external mortifications, religion would assume a less gloomy and consequently a less uninviting appearance. The wavering, the timid, and the light in spirit, are discouraged by the appalling, rigid, and austere view in which religion is presented to them by these unwise professors. I have myself heard many persons assert, that they had been kept back from making any advances by the sacrifices which they were told it was necessary to make, before they could hope to be received into the favour of God. I know that some minds are by nature capable of these exertions without any aid of divine light; we see the heathen nations perpetually sacrificing their ease of body and their comforts to propitiate their idols. But there are others utterly incapable, without God's assistance, of making any such exertions. The