THE PENNY POST BOX. The Penny Post Box. PRAYING FOR A BLESSING. ONE sabbath evening not long since, my friend, a village preacher, after exhorting his hearers to enter into their closets and pray in secret for a blessing before attending the public means of grace, related the following anecdote. "I knew a man," said he, "of moral conduct, who had for many years been in the habit of attending the house of God with regularity, yet gave no evidence of his being a converted man. I therefore visited him for the purpose of conversing about the welfare of his soul. After having told him the object of my visit, I said, 'My friend, how long have you been in the habit of attending the public worship of God?' 'Forty years,' he replied. Can you say that you are a converted man?" He answered, 'No.' 'Can you tell me how it is that the devotional exercises, and holy instructions of God's house, which you have been favoured with so many years, have not proved a blessing to you?' He replied, 'I do not know.' I then said, 'I think I can tell you.' The mau looked at me with astonishment, and said, 'Do you think so?' I then asked, 'Did you ever, before leaving home, pray to God in secret that your heart might be prepared to engage in the public services of his house, or that you might hear his word, so as to become wise unto salvation?" He appeared surprised at the question; the blush of confusion appeared upon his cheek, and he answered, 'No.' I then told him as he had not sought God's blessing it was no wonder that he had so long heard the gospel preached without profit. He felt the truth of my remark. After exhorting him to seek at once a change of heart, and in future to implore God's blessing in private before attending the public means of grace, I engaged in prayer, and then left him. The man attended to my advice, and his after life gave evidence of his being a converted man. He lived about three years after the conversation related, a great part of which time he lay upon the bed of sickness. Once when I visited him he said to me, 'How thankful I am to God for the advice you first gave me; if it bad not been for that I think I should never have come to Christ. Not long after he left this world with a well-grounded hope of a blessed immortality." Reader, remember the Saviour has bid you to ask in order that you may receive; to enter into your closet and pray to the Father who seeth in secret, and has added for your encouragement that "He will reward you openly." The invitations and promises of God are all of the most encouraging character. None need despair. "Whosoever will may come.' None will be refused. J. D. FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. Facts, Hints, and Gems. Facts OF THE OLD SMITHFIELD MARKET, LONDON. This Celebrated Market is now closed, after having existed upwards of 700 years. The annual fair beld here was closed a few years ago. In Elizabeth's days the annual sale of cattle was 50,000. One hundred years ago it was 75,000, and 580,000 sheep. The Annual Sales lately have been 250,000 cattle, and 1,750,000 sheep, or about eight sheep to one bullock, and 25,000 calves, and 250,000 pigs. At the Christmas Market as many as 6000 cattle and 35,000 sheep have been sold here in a few hours on one day. Seven or Eight Millions Sterling are supposed to have been paid annually for live stock at Smithfield market. The sales are managed by regular salesmen, who have a small commission on the sales effected. The Area of the market is less than half that of the Crystal Palace, and was found much too small, only affording space for 4000 cattle, and 25,000 sheep. A New Market was opened at Islington in 1836. It enclosed fifteen acres, with space for 8000 cattle, and 50,000 sheep; but in seven months it was closed. The old market in Smithfield being preferred. Many Complaints had, for many years, been made of the market as a public nuisance. The Corporation of London would not act. Government then interfered. A new market has been provided in Copenhagen Fields, and Smithfield is closed. MARRIAGE is the most binding tie of perpetual friendship. With what care should it be contracted. FRIENDSHIP cannot grow without confidence, and confidence cannot be entertained without integrity. TWO THINGS when empty, are empty with a grievous emptiness, -a head without brains, and a heart without love. dishes bring many diseases, and SIMPLE DIET IS BEST.-Many rich sauces ripen disorders. IN CHOOSING A COMPANION FOR LIFE, look about among those of Equal your own station in life. matches are generally the most happy. ENVY AND WRATH, if indulged, will often shorten a man's life; and over-anxiety will make one old before his time. ECONOMY ANd ExtravaganCE.-— Economy is the parent of integrity, of liberty, and of ease; and the beauteous sister of temperance, of cheerfulness, and health. Extravagance is a cruel and crafty demon, that gradually involves her followers in dependence and debts; and fetters them with irons that enter into their souls:" FACTS, HINTS, AND GEMS. Gems. WHAT A MARVELLOUS GOSPEL is that which invites to friendship with God every penitent sinner who comes to him by Christ, and refus. es none. ALL IN CHRIST.-There is light in Christ, to illumine you; life in Christ, to quicken you; grace in Christ to sanctify you; comfort in Christ, to cheer you; power in Christ, to deliver you; and righteousness in Christ, to justify you; therefore go to Christ always, go to Christ for every thing, go to Christ alone. GROWING IN GRACE.-If we are really growing in grace, we shall feel our need of Christ more and more every day; and we shall make more use of Christ every day; until at last it will be 'I am nothing, Christ is all.' THE GOSPEL SAYS, 'Ask, receive, use, and then come for more;' ask of Christ, receive from Christ, enjoy with Christ, employ for Christ, and come again to Christ: this is the way to honour God, confound satan, do good and be truly happy. No MAN CAN ESTIMATE the greatness of the love of Christ, or the merit of his precious blood; except he can fathom the depth of his own sin, and see clearly the extent of his own ingratitude. THE HOLY SPIRIT teaches us our need of Christ, by teaching us to know ourselves; when we see our own nakedness, we prize his righteousness; when we feel our own weakness, we value his strength; and when we discover our own emptiness, we glory in his fulness, and the more highly we esteem the Saviour. THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. If any one could possess the righteousness of all the angels of God; the poorest sinner who believes in Jesus, has a more glorious righteousness than he, for he has the righteousness of God; a righ As 'tis appointed men should die, Then to his place the Judge repair, The heart that rotten is; For every one must now receive They that unto the Lord did cleave, But those that die in wickedness, There still to grapple with distress. HEAVEN. Bunyan. HEAVEN is a place of rest from sin; HELL. HELL is beyond all thought a state My Saviour. A number, past all mortal count, O let thy love fill all my heart; My Saviour. My Saviour. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO. LEICESTER: WINKS AND SON. Sold by all Booksellers. PRICE ONE HALFPENNY MONTHLY. SELDOM have we met with a more affecting instance of depravity resulting in despair, than is furnished by the writer of this narrative. A Young Man left his father's house in the country at the age of fifteen. He had a pious mother, and had been the subject of early religious instructions and impressions. After he began to reside in the city, according to his parents' directions, he attended the faithful preaching of the gospel, and was of hopeful habits. He, however, kept himself aloof from the more personal and special means of religion, yet still believing it to be important, and designing to attend to it at some future time. He formed an acquaintance with associates less favourable to religion, with whom his feelings gradually learned to sympathise. He went on in this way some four or five years without much obvious change; though he was, of course, resisting convictions, hardening his heart, and laying the foundation of his moral ruin. He often received letters from his mother, reminding him of his duty, and urging him to it, over some of which he was constrained to drop a tear and make good resolutions. But the way of his heart was steadily backward from God. Every month hardened him the more in impiety. He at length began to give rather free indulgence to the theatre, and to other dissipating amusements and pleasures. His place in the house of God was sometimes vacated, especially in the afternoon, and he was very seldom at the evening religious lectures. His mother's letters he read with less attention than formerly, for he had begun to think himself a young man of some importance, quite competent to think and judge for himself without her assistance; that she was a kind and good mother, |