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that twa o' our sheep had wandered frae' the lave, and that some o' the dragoons, passing through the moor, huntit their cruel dogs at the twa puir things, till, bleetin, and forfochin they escaped into the auld vowt, and the dogs foregatherin wi' a hare, ran after it; and sae ye're welcome here for our Master's sake, in whose cause ye suffer.'

Gilbert's joy knew no bounds at finding himself in the company of such men, to whom it was in his power and in his heart to do a service. 'It's just ae wonder after another,' said he. 'Ye were heard in being directed to the vault, and ye were heard when praying in the vault. What a Master we serve! O! if we had only a minister wi' us, what a happy time we might spend.'

Hoot awa,' Gibby, my man, said Grizzy, 'we mauna fa' that. I think ye hae here men wi' ye that may weel serve in the stead o' ony minister, even o' Saunders himsel, although there is naebody I like better to see dit our door than Saunders Peden, for he aye brings his Master wi' him. Ye hae a' the company ye'ill get as lang as this storm lasts, and let us be thankful for what we have.'

While Grizzy was talking she was preparing a hearty breakfast of warm, rich brose-the common food of those times-and the two cold

and hungry strangers partook of a plentiful meal and were refreshed. Willie then answered the strangers' enquiries as to the reason of their search, and they at once exclaimed,The Lord is wonderful in working in reply to the supplications of this people in the hour of their distress. We are a witnessing remnant, and we may look for some special interposition on our behalf."

But the affairs of honest Gilbert were needing attention. The sheep had been dug out of the snow it is true; but they were still in a perilous condition on a knoll near the house, and as the storm did not abate, it was necessary that they should be cared for. A large outhouse, frail indeed both in its walls and roof, was selected as a shelter for the poor sheep. Into this place they were collected, and furnished with plenty of hay. And now the minds of all were greatly at easeGilbert's property was secured, and in this the men rejoiced: the men's lives were spared, and this gave Gilbert and Grizzy unspeakable delight.

The work of digging out the sheep from the snow and of preparing them shelter in the outhouse was no great task for these stalwart men; but a work was before them which they could not foresee, and which would tax their energies to the utmost.

FOSTER ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF TIME.*

THIS is one of the earliest of Foster's productions. In 1805 he told a friend that the subject suited him well, and that he hoped to finish the writing of the essay upon it by the end of the year. The end of the year came, but did not bring with it the end of the essay. Foster found by that time that its composition had become slow, tedious, and disagreeable. The subject had lost its charm, or rather, as the Editor suggests, Foster lacked the inspiration under which the four celebrated

essays were written which had already established his fame. By and bye there arose the necessity for some quicker return than could be obtained from the publication of an independent work, and he had become one of the chief contributors to the Eclectic. It thus happened that notwithstanding the importunity of friends, and some pressure from the booksellers, the essay On the Improvement of Time was not published during Foster's lifetime. It

* London: Heaton and Son.

How to Estimate the Value of Time.

now first sees the light twenty years after his death.

The dissenting public have reason to congratulate themselves on its appearance. We have not so many eminent names in literature that we can afford to let one die. What ever defects the author of this treatise might have, he earned for himself a place among the writers of his day as John Foster, the Essayist; and the publication of this posthumous work will do something to recall attention to one who was as distinguished for his originality as he was for his conscientiousness. In our judgment it will rather extend than lessen his fame. Bearing throughout traces of that earlier manner which it is to be regretted he ever renounced, it contains also many passages equal to any to be found in his later productions. Its appeals to the conscience are neither rhapsodical nor untimely, and cannot fail to touch to the quick those who give them a careful examination. The Baptist body, and indeed the Christian public generally, are greatly endebted to the publishers for exhuming this treatise from its almost forgotten sepulchre; and the readers of this volume will find themselves largely under obligation to the Editor for the admirable manner in which he has executed the work entrusted to him.

297

would be useful; but generally, as
in his case, the effect alone of the
whole is retained, rather than any
exact recollection of them. He
felt his chief difficulty in writing
the essay to be, the tendency
to make his treatise a
lecture on general morals. He
however proposes to treat his
subject not So much philoso
phically as morally and practically.
This should be distinctly borne in
mind.

mere

The first part is divided into four chapters, which take up successively the value, the capacity and swiftness of time, and the ultimate object of its improvement. Its value may be estimated by what is actually accomplished in a given portion of it, say in the space of a single hour, or a single day. In opening up this thought, he says: The Omnipresent Spirit perceives all but an infinite number of actions taking place together throughout the different regions of His empire. And by the end of the hour which has just now begun a greater number of operations will have been performed, which at this moment have not been performed, than the collective sum of all that has been done in this world since its creation. The hour just now begun may be exactly the period for finishing some great plan, or concluding some great dispensation The essay begins by touching which thousands of years or ages upon some of those reasons which have been advancing to its accomFoster thinks have hitherto pre-plishment. This may be the very vented any one from undertaking a formal treatise on the improvement of time. This has arisen partly from the facility and necessity of introducing it as a relative topic in aid of almost all other subjects of instructive writing. Writers have been sensible of having too liberally expended the materials belonging to the subject, among the diversity of their moral arguments, to leave enough for a separate consideration of it. Many passages bearing upon the topic may be found scattered through the writings of others, and a compilation of them Foster thinks

hour in which a new world shall originate or an ancient one sink in ruins. At this hour, such changes and phenomena may be displayed in some part of the universe as were never presented to the astonishment of the most ancient created minds. At this very hour, the inhabitants of some remote orb may be roused by signs analogous to those which we anticipate to precede the final judgment, and in order to prepare them for such an event. This hour may somewhere begin or conclude mightier contests than Milton was able to imagine, and

that twa o' our sheep had wandered frae' the lave, and that some o' the dragoons, passing through the moor, huntit their cruel dogs at the twa puir things, till, bleetin, and forfochin they escaped into the auld vowt, and the dogs foregatherin wi' a hare, ran after it; and sae ye're welcome here for our Master's sake, in whose cause ye suffer.'

Gilbert's joy knew no bounds at finding himself in the company of such men, to whom it was in his power and in his heart to do a service. 'It's just ae wonder after another,' said he. 'Ye were heard in being directed to the vault, and ye were heard when praying in the vault. What a Master we serve! O! if we had only a minister wi' us, what a happy time we might spend.'

'Hoot awa,' Gibby, my man, said Grizzy, 'we mauna fa' that. I think ye hae here men wi'ye that may weel serve in the stead o' ony minister, even o' Saunders himsel, although there is naebody I like better to see dit our door than Saunders Peden, for he aye brings his Master wi' him. Ye hae a' the company ye'ill get as lang as this storm lasts, and let us be thankful for what we have.'

While Grizzy was talking she was preparing a hearty breakfast of warm, rich brose-the common food of those times-and the two cold

and hungry strangers partook of a plentiful meal and were refreshed. Willie then answered the strangers' enquiries as to the reason of their search, and they at once exclaimed,The Lord is wonderful in working in reply to the supplications of this people in the hour of their distress. We are a witnessing remnant, and we may look for some special interposition on our behalf.'

But the affairs of honest Gilbert were needing attention. The sheep had been dug out of the snow it is true; but they were still in a perilous condition on a knoll near the house, and as the storm did not abate, it was necessary that they should be cared for. A large outhouse, frail indeed both in its walls and roof, was selected as a shelter for the poor sheep. Into this place they were collected, and furnished with plenty of hay. And now the minds of all were greatly at ease— Gilbert's property was secured, and in this the men rejoiced: the men's lives were spared, and this gave Gilbert and Grizzy unspeakable delight.

The work of digging out the sheep from the snow and of preparing them shelter in the outhouse was no great task for these stalwart men; but a work was before them which they could not foresee, and which would tax their energies to the utmost.

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FOSTER ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF TIME.*

THIS is one of the earliest of Foster's productions. In 1805 he told a friend that the subject suited him well, and that he hoped to finish the writing of the essay upon it by the end of the year. The end of the year came, but did not bring with it the end of the essay. Foster found by that time that its composition had become slow, tedious, and disagreeable. The subject had lost its charm, or rather, as the Editor suggests, Foster lacked the inspiration under which the four celebrated

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How to Estimate the Value of Time.

now first sees the light twenty years after his death.

The dissenting public have reason to congratulate themselves on its appearance. We have not so many eminent names in literature that we can afford to let one die. What ever defects the author of this treatise might have, he earned for himself a place among the writers of his day as John Foster, the Essayist; and the publication of this posthumous work will do something to recall attention to one who was as distinguished for his originality as he was for his conscientiousness. In our judgment it will rather extend than lessen his fame. Bearing throughout traces of that earlier manner which it is to be regretted he ever renounced, it contains also many passages equal to any to be found in his later productions. Its appeals to the conscience are neither rhapsodical nor untimely, and cannot fail to touch to the quick those who give them a careful examination. The Baptist body, and indeed the Christian public generally, are greatly endebted to the publishers for exhuming this treatise from its almost forgotten sepulchre; and the readers of this volume will find themselves largely under obligation to the Editor for the admirable manner in which he has executed the work entrusted to him.

297

would be useful; but generally, as in his case, the effect alone of the whole is retained, rather than any exact recollection of them. He felt his chief difficulty in writing the essay to be, the tendency to make his treatise a mere lecture on general morals. Не however proposes to treat his subject not SO much philosophically as morally and practically. This should be distinctly borne in mind.

The first part is divided into four chapters, which take up successively the value, the capacity and swiftness of time, and the ultimate object of its improvement. Its value may be estimated by what is actually accomplished in a given portion of it, say in the space of a single hour, or a single day. In opening up this thought, he says: "The Omnipresent Spirit perceives all but an infinite number of actions taking place together throughout the different regions of His empire. And by the end of the hour which has just now begun a greater number of operations will have been performed, which at this moment have not been performed, than the collective sum of all that has been done in this world since its creation. The hour just now begun may be exactly the period for finishing some great plan, or concluding some great dispensation The essay begins by touching which thousands of years or ages upon some of those reasons which have been advancing to its accomFoster thinks have hitherto pre-plishment. This may be the very vented any one from undertaking a formal treatise on the improvement of time. This has arisen partly from the facility and necessity of introducing it as a relative topic in aid of almost all other subjects of instructive writing. Writers have been sensible of having too liberally expended the materials belonging to the subject, among the diversity of their moral arguments, to leave enough for a separate consideration of it. Many passages bearing upon the topic may be found scattered through the writings of others, and a compilation of them Foster thinks

hour in which a new world shall originate or an ancient one sink in ruins. At this hour, such changes and phenomena may be displayed in some part of the universe as were never presented to the astonishment of the most ancient created minds. At this very hour, the inhabitants of some remote orb may be roused by signs analogous to those which we anticipate to precede the final judgment, and in order to prepare them for such an event. This hour may somewhere begin or conclude mightier contests than Milton was able to imagine, and

contests producing more stupendous results; contests in comparison with which those which shake Europe at this same time are more diminutive than those of the meanest insects. At this very hour, thousands of amazing enterprises may be undertaken, and by the end of a progress made, which to us would have seemed to require ages. At this hour, wise intelligences may terminate long and patient pursuits of knowledge in such discoveries as shall give a new science to their race. At this hour, a whole race of improved and virtuous beings may be elevated to a higher station in the great system of beings. At this hour, some new mode of divine operation, some new law of nature, which was not required before, may be introduced into the first trial of its action. At this hour, the most strange suspension of regular laws may take place at the will of Him that appointed them, for the sake of commanding a solemn attention, and confirming some Divine communication by miracles. At this hour, the inhabitants of the creation are most certainly performing more actions than any faculty of mind less than infinite can observe or remember. All this, and incomparably more than all this, a philosopher and a Christian would delight to imagine. And all that he can imagine in the widest stretch of thought is as nothing in comparison with what most certainly takes place in so vast a universe every hour, and will take place this very hour in which these faint conjectures are indulged.'

In the midst of such a wide sweep as this we might be inclined to say, the whole sum of operations will be neither more nor less, our insignificant efforts being added or withheld. It is, however, necessary that we retain a strong sense of our individual duty, and of the importance of our own actions as to our own interests.

The value of time may also be estimated by considering the very great importance felt to be connected with small portions of it in cases of

great emergency. The objections against such a view are then met, and the author passes on to the discussion of the capacity of time. I use this term,' says Foster, to suggest the possible number of successive operations of an individual within a given period, or within the scope of a life of moderate length.' He contends that there is a sense in which time is of equal capacity to all men. Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as an example of vigour and continuous effort, and Magliabecchi, Calmet, Tostatus, D'Anville, Richard Baxter, Sir William Jones, and King Alfred, are referred to as illustrations of the work which may be crushed into a single life.

In his chapter on the swiftness of time Foster chiefly confines himself to illustrations. Among these he points to rays of light, meteors, the course of clouds, a stream of water, the human pulse, in each of which motion is the distinguishing circumstance; and to others of which this cannot be predicated, as the changes of seasons, the appearance of persons from infancy to manhood and old age, and the feelings awakened by the close and the beginning of the year. There are many beautiful passages found here that will bear comparison with anything Foster has written.

By far the largest chapter is the one devoted to the discussion of the ultimate object of the improvement of time. It is also the most important. He has cleared the ground before him, and now proceeds to strike home to the conscience. He has shown what is done, what can be

done, and how we may, like Jacob,

'Hold the fleet angel fast until he bless us,'

Now arises the question, for what shall his activities be employed? Surely for nothing less than the great future. If man's existence terminate at death, then all that has been advocated is, he contends, insufficient to awaken those exertions which have been set forth

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