GEORGE the Fourth, when Prince of Wales, appointed a grand military review to be held on the Sabbath-day. The pious and venerable Dr. Porteus, then bishop of London, heard of this, and, though confined to his habitation by that illness which issued in his death five days after, yet he hastened to the palace and sought an interview with the prince. Feeble, and almost voiceless, he entered the royal L apartment supported by two attendants, as represented in our engraving. The scene was very affecting-with the tenderness of a father, and with the earnestness of one expecting soon to stand before the King of kings, he represented the evil and sin of desecrating God's holy day, and arged upon the prince the consideration of the sad effects which the example of one in his exalted station would have upon the present and eternal destinies of millions. The good bishop closed by expressing his regret that his infirmities did not permit him to advance, and give his last blessing to the heir of England's throne. The prince, much affected, fell on his knees, while the venerable man of God implored the blessing of heaven on his royal highness, rejoicing that the last effort of his failing strength could thus be exerted in attempting to stop the progress of Sabbath desecration. The following anecdote of the prince, in reference to the Sabbath-day, which is not perhaps generally known, seems very suitable for accompanying the one just stated.-A tradesman was sent for on the Sabbath-day as his royal highness was preparing to leave town early the next morning-That tradesman was one who feared God more than man, and at the risk of offending the prince, and losing his valuable patronage, he declined to attend on God's day, but took care to be at the palace at a very early hour on Monday morning. I sent for you yesterday,' said the prince, why did not you come?' The King wanted me.' 'The king! I thought my father never sent for tradesmen on Sundays.' Please your royal highness I do not mean the king your father, but the King of kings.'-'A word fitly spoken is indeed,' as Solomon says, 'like apples of gold in pictures of silver.' Some of the last words of the prince, when wearing the crown, as George the fourth, alluded to his interview with the dying bishop.-Two days before the king's death he declared that nothing in his past life gave him more uneasiness than the recollection of DESECRATED SABBATHS.Ah, ye Sabbath breakers, listen to the words of a dying king.-Desecrated Sabbaths!-Misspent Sabbaths!-the recollection of these will sting-sting on your death-beds, or, more terrible still, will pierce you to the heart where the worm dieth not, where there is no Sabbath, no holy rest day—'no rest, day nor night, but the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.' KNILL'S SKETCHES. No. 7. THE VILLAGE GREEN, OR OUT-DOOR PREACHING. IT was a beautiful spot. The old Parish Church stood near it, and large spreading elms afforded both shade and shelter to the traveller who visited it. One corner was occupied by carpenters and sawyers, where might be seen large quantities of timber waiting for the saw-as well as beams, and planks, and rafters ready for the builder. Some zealous people invited me last year to preach on the green. I accepted their invitation, and happy results followed. The blacksmith and his apprentice attended; the lad was deeply impressed-he wept, he prayed, he trembled and next morning he brought his song books to the forge and committed them to the flames-yes, he burnt them all and ever since he has been walking as a young disciple of Jesus. The village shopkeeper, attracted by the novelty of the sight, left his shop also, and came and heard, and felt, and resolved. What think you, reader, was his resolution? It was this, I will never keep open my shop any more on Sunday? He gave notice of this immediately to his customers, but some of them laughed at the absurdity of the thing. He shut his shop on Sunday!' said they, 'when there is money to be got!-no, no,-trust him for that.' So Sunday morning came, and many a Sabbath-breaker went as usual to the shop-but it was closed-and though they knocked, and some of them knocked hard, yet the bolt never flew back-the shop was not opened. What a triumph of principle! What power there is in the gospel. How easily the Spirit of God can make men new creatures! We sometimes read or hear of books written on the evidences of Christianity-but here were books burned as evidences of Christianity. Here were doors shut and bolted as evidences of the power of God; shut and bolted by the same hand as opened the prison doors and the great iron gate to set Peter free. Other happy things occurred though not so striking as the above. My old friends invited me again this year to preach on the village green, and last Tuesday I was there. The air was warm, and soft, and balmy; and the western sun was darting his setting beams upon us. The carpenters were friendly to our meeting and placed their planks so as to accommodate three hundred people, a band of singers came from a neighbouring parish to aid us with their music, which, together with the mingled voices of the congregation, and softened by the gathering shadows of the evening, produced a hallowing effect. My text was- 'As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God? Most of the people were dressed in the same garments which they had worn all day in their work, while here and there was a Sunday gown, or a snow-white apron, or a new hat, or a clean smock frock. The solemnity was as great as we sometimes see on sacramental occasions-and the tears like what we sometimes see at funerals. The results will be seen. We sow seed for eternity! What a man soweth that shall he also reap. On taking leave, many said 'will not this encourage you to come again?' I answered, 'yes, if God give strength.' O that God would pour out his Spirit on ministers, and deacons, and people, that every dark spot may be enlightened with the light of the gospel. Sunday school Teachers! cannot you preach on village greens? Cannot you lift up your voices for God in the open air? It is only by out-door preaching that multitudes of our countrymen can be reached by the living voice. If all the places of worship in London were filled on a Sunday morning, there would be one million of people outside for whom no place could be found. Half the people in Manchester could not go to a place of worship if they would, there is no room for them. In Birmingham it is just as bad, and in Liverpool it is worse. Awake, O arm of the Lord. Awake! Put on strength as in the ancient days. Cut Rahab! Wound the Dragon! Dry up the sea! Shake the heavens, and the earth, and the dry land. O come and shake the dry bones, that an army may be raised up, whose faces shall be as the face of a man, and the face of a lion, and the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle-who shall think, and roar, and work and soar until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God, and of his Christ. Amen. RICHARD KNILL. 6th Sept., 1845 . EXERCISE. Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far. The Europeans value themselves on having subdued the horse to the use of man; but I doubt whether we have not lost more than we have gained by the use of this animal. An Indian goes on foot nearly as far in a day, for a long journey, as an enfeebled white does on his horse, and he will tire the best horses. A little walk of half an hour in the morning when you rise is advisable. It shakes off sleep, and produces other good effects in the animal economy. The Voice of the Months. MY DEAR FRIENDS, No. 10, OCTOBER. I wish it to be said of our feast, as of that described by Thomson,— 'Nor wanting is the brown October.' I therefore contribute my quota to the rational entertain ment. My name stands in the calendar made by Romulus, expressive of the eighth month in the year, which begins with March. The Roman senate, indeed, honoured the wife of Antonius, by calling me Faustinus; Commodus termed me Invictus; Domitian, Domitianus: but time, my dear friends, is not given to compliment, and I still bear the old name of October. Some of you remember how Cowper illustrates the vain efforts of ignoble persons, to give immortality to their names: 'So when a child, as playful children use, And there, scarce less illustrious, goes the clerk !' The sun has pressed down the scale, till on the 23rd he enters into the Scorpion. This sign perhaps received its name from the usual unhealthiness of the latter part of October and the month of November. The change from warmth to coldness, the decay of vegetable matter, and the prevailing fogs, make this a trying season to the health of both man and beast: the air is poisoned, as it were, by a serpent. Happy is that youth who having to breathe an atmosphere charged with the deathly venom of sin, can look to the antitype of the brazen serpent. Often think on John iii. 14-17. I shall remind my historic reader of some remarkable persons and events. King Edward VI. was born at Hampton Court, October 12th, 1537. Although he died at the age of sixteen, this pious, lovely boy, had made great progress in learning. He knew the Latin, Greek, French, Italian, and Spanish languages, besides other branches of a good education. He was the Josiah of the Reformation; devoutly reading the Bible and worshipping |