called into the vineyard
"early in the morning." And should our endeavours for a length of time
apparently fail of success, yet we ought not to despair. Early
impressions and convictions of conscience have sometimes lain dormant for
years, and at last revived into gracious existence and maturity. It was
not said in vain, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he
is old he will not depart from it."

What a gratifying occupation it is to an affectionate mind, even in a way
of nature, to walk through the fields, and lead a little child by the
hand, enjoying its infantine prattle, and striving to improve the time by
some kind word of instruction! I wish that every Christian pilgrim in
the way of grace, as he walks through the Lord's pastures, would try to
lead at least one little child by the hand; and perhaps, whilst he is
endeavouring to guide and preserve his young and feeble companion, the
Lord will recompense him double for all his cares by comforting his own
heart in the attempt. The experiment is worth the trial. It is
supported by this recollection,--"The Lord will come with strong hand,
and his arm shall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his
work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall
gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and _shall
gently lead those that are with young_."

I shall plead no further apology for introducing to the notice of my
readers a few particulars relative to a young female cottager, whose
memory is particularly endeared to me from the circumstance of her being,
so far as I can trace or discover, my first-born spiritual child in the
ministry of the gospel. She was certainly the first, of whose conversion
to God, under my own pastoral instruction, I can speak with precision and
assurance.

Every parent of a family knows that there is a very interesting emotion
of heart connected with the birth of his first-born child. Energies and
affections, to which the mind has hitherto been almost a stranger, begin
to unfold themselves and expand into active existence when he first is
hailed as a father. But may not the spiritual father be allowed the
possession and indulgence of a similar sensation in his connection with
the children whom the Lord gives him, as begotten through the ministry of
the word of life! If the first-born child in nature be received as a new
and acceptable blessing, how much more so the first-born c