September 20. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
499 
Lettuce. —Those who want early Lettuce should plant 
1 some in warm places, on good soil, in the early part of the 
month, from an August sowing. Those sown in the be¬ 
ginning of September may be pricked-out very thickly at 
the end of the month, to be planted out in spring. 
Rhubarb, to be fine, may lyive the old leaves stripped oil 
at the end of October, and receive a covering of rich manure 
foul - inches thick; this will protect the crowns and enrich 
the soil. 
Charring. —Let not the gardening campaign close for the 
year without using every effort to collect and char all the 
weeds and other refuse possible. The produce should be 
packed away in some dry place, or otherwise, piled up in a 
conical heap, and well heat to keep out the rain and snow. 
Such will he of much value in the spring, to help to form 
the basis of a compost for drill or other crops, 
j Manure-Heaps. —Remember, that not a shower of rain 
I can freely enter them without carrying off a portion of their : 
powers. Let, therefore, our former advice he at once prac-j 
I tised; let all manure not wanted till spring he thrown 
j together, and covered with soil; the whole presenting a 
j round surface to the elements, and patted firm to throw off j 
the rains. As parting advice, I again suggest, that (the 
natural season being nearly past,) our friends, the small 
holders, emulate the spirit of the age, which has, at last, 
breathed on the soil, by considering how they can per¬ 
manently advance the character of their land. 
R. Errington. 
THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS. 
By the Authoress of “ My Flowers." 
We are twice told in the Bible, that “ The fear of the 
Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding 
have all they that do his commandments.” We may observe 
the truth of His declaration every day of our lives, if we are 
so happy as to he in the company of real Christians, though 
beggars by the road-side. It is really wonderful to notice 
the stride of a man’s mind, when he has passed “ from 
death unto life”—when he has been taught of the Spirit, and 
brought to the knowledge of the Truth ! However ignorant 
he may be about every thing else, “ a mouth and wisdom” 
is given him in spiritual things; and, in general, among the 
poor, there is such an unction in their discourse, that the 
simple language they make use of possesses a grandeur 
that is not felt when we listen to a “ Master in Israel.” 
John Henry is no exception to this rule. His struggles 
and convictions were many and severe ; but he was sitting at 
the feet of a Teacher who perfects His works, and the 
simple, beautiful description he gives of his feelings must he 
given in his own words to do it real justice : It may be 
the means of encouraging and comforting some doubting 
or seeking soul; or it may, by the blessing of God, convince 
some unthinking or stubborn heart, that in the things of 
God there is reality —that they are facts, and not fancies ; 
and that no man living is “ in his right mind,” until he sits 
“ at the feet of Jesus.” In a letter to Mrs. Johnston, for 
whom his attachment appears as strong as to his excellent 
Vicar, John Henry says—“ Not coming aright, trusting in 
Christ Jesus for my all, I found no acceptance with God. I 
began to hearken to the enemy in unbelief; my heart began 
to harden; I forgot the right way, and the enemy, getting 
advantage over me, kept me firm in his chains for about four 
or five weeks. My dear Madam, I was sinning against a 
just God, and obeying a wicked enemy; yet I strove to get 
j out of my sins, but had no power. I even hated God, and 
! could not love Him. It is true He is love, and long suffering 
i with sinners. He then put His arrows within my soul. I 
j expected every day to go to hell. It was grace that kept me 
i from it. I had no comfort, only in reading ‘ The Sinner's 
I Friend,’ it still bidding me never to give up prayer. I was 
! afraid to pray. 0 how often I did wish I had never known 
i any good! Often did I cry out, * 0 Lord, if there is any 
j mercy for me, give it me 1’ There was no answer—all hope 
' was cut off. One evening, going to the glebe in this state, 
I went before my brothers, intending to speak to the Rev. 
Mr.-; but when I got to the kitchen, I asked where 
he was; I was told the room. They asked if I wanted to 
see him; I then, thinking my die was cast, said, I did not 
care; so I did not acquaint him with my sorrow. Next 
Sunday he was away in Dublin; the Rev. Mr. S. preached 
from Ilosea xi., 8, i)—‘ I will not give thee up, Ephraim, for 
I am God, and not man.’ This discourse strengthened me. 
On that evening I went into a field alone, and, falling flat 
upon my face, I confessed the whole of my state before Him 
who knoweth the thoughts and intents of my heart. I arose 
with some confidence of mercy, and, as I kneeled down at 
my evening prayer, my soul was full of joy unspeakable. I 
was in doubt again, until April, 1840. As I was in deep 
distress of mind, I tried to lay hold on some of Christ’s 
w'ords, particularly, ‘ Him that cometh unto me I will in no 
wise cast out.’ This was a strong invitation ; but still some¬ 
thing said, ‘ This is not for you.’ I was led to see it was 
the enemy. I was working alone ; I stopped, and cried to 
God for Christ’s sake to send the enemy away. Though I 
was standing upon my feet, I believe He answered my 
prayer; yet it was with all the strength of my body and 
soul that I prayed. If I tried to put away any temptation, 
I looked to Christ for strength. That word in Heb. xiii., 5, 
‘ I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,’ is my comfort 
since in every temptation or doubt. It is better to me than 
gold. What beautiful words are Christ’s words, as, ‘ Behold, 
I stand at the door and knock ;’ ‘ Ask, and ye shall receive; ’ 
« Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.’ These 
are all encouraging texts of Christ. | 
“ Dear Madam, I will show you now, by the help of God, 
where T am striving to build my hopes for heaven. It is not 
in my works, nor in long prayers ; but in Jesus Christ and 
Him crucified. I think much on Jesus, even the whole of the 
day. I watch only sometimes. I hear too much of the world, 
then my heart fain would join in the conversation. But I have, 
as it were, an hungering soul after Christ; it complains of the 
heart. I believe there are two natures in man, as St. Paul 
saith, ‘ When I do good, evil is present with me.’ I believe 
the natural heart of man is still striving to overcome the 
new-born soul. I think the soul is as a new heart, when it 
finds the knowledge of God and eternity. It finds Jesus 
Christ to be a help in time of need; it sees its own emptiness | 
and Christ’s greatness and love. It hungers after him for some 
food, it cannot be satisfied yet; but there is still something 
to keep us from Christ. If I watch Christ all day long, and 
think much on him, I will meet some temptations and evil 
thoughts; but this only makes my soul hunger and wish for 
more of Christ, as He is the food for the soul. I judge 
myself to be unworthy of-any blessings ; but I see Jesus by 
faith darkly, as it were, covered with righteousness, and me 
standing beside Him naked. He is striving to cover me with 
His righteousness.which I so much need. O that I saw 
more of my own emptiness and Christ’s fulness; I am a 
poor sinner, Christ a rich Saviour. I find by comparing my 
own poverty to Christ’s riches, that I sometimes would wish 
to be hid in Christ. He is the Way ; 0 that I could but 
find Him, and continue in Him! I am a poor sinner, 
sinning every day. 0 for that blood of Christ that 
cleanseth from all sin! May it be sprinkled upon my 
heart and conscience every day! My dependance is 
upon Jesus Christ. I have nothing of my salvation of my 
own ; I look to Christ by faith ; only it is sometimes weak, ff 
I do not be looking to the ci'own often. It keeps me in 
employ to have my mind stayed upon Him; this is my fight¬ 
ing the most part of the day.” 
Here was spiritual growth, rapid indeed ! Here was a 
pilgrim’s progress of great and unusual speed ! It seemed 
that Cauaan was already reached, and now, that the soul had 
already possession of the promised land! Mr. Johnston’s 
astonishment at the enlarged and deepened experience of 
the writer was extreme. It showed an advancement in 
divine life beyond all expectation; and was a proof of the 
reality of the change of heart, and of the Spirit's presence 
with him. It is not every conversion that is so immediately 
and plainly manifested. Some are of slower growth ; but 
all must be, all will be, plainly and distinctly discerned, 
sooner or later. The root and foundation are the same; 
“the builder and the maker” is the same; the teacher and 
sanctifier are the same; but the soil and the material varies. 
O that all were led as earnestly and as powerfully as John 
Henry was to seek the road to Zion ! 
Reader! you may be rich, respectable, great, noble, royal; 
yet you must all be “ converted, and become as little 
