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 No. 90. 
 
 NOAH'S CARPENTERS. 
 
 It was a late hour at nisrht. The City of N , with 
 
 its many turrets and spires, was sleeping under the 
 shadow of those rocky sentinels which have guarded 
 the plain since the Mood. The waves of the ocean fell 
 gently and soothingly on the beach. The moon waded 
 through the fleecy autumn clouds, now playing with i lie 
 waters and lighting up the scene, and then concealing 
 her glory, as if to make its revelations more prized. It 
 was a night for pious thoughts and conversation. 
 
 Two persons were leaving the city and passing along 
 the water-side to a beautiful valley, where one was a 
 resident and the other a guest. The taller, the elder 
 of the two, was actively erf<ragt*d in a work of benevo- 
 lence, in the blessings of which the people of N 
 
 and the students of college mutually shared. The 
 
 work wis too heavy for him, and he had invited his 
 young friend, an impenitent lad, of whom we will speak 
 as Menry, to aid him. Together they had spent many 
 a weary day in supplying the Christian laborers who 
 co-operated with ih< m in the choicest means of useful- 
 ness, as they crowded the depository of truth. Ex- 
 hausted by their toils, they were now returning for a 
 night's repose. Hitherto, not a word had been addressed 
 to the obliging lad about his soul. The fitting occasion 
 seemed to have arrived. A quaint but fitting manner 
 "was i hosen. 
 
 * Henry," asked the elder of the younger, "do you 
 know what became of N mh's carpenters?" 
 
 "Noah's carpenters!" exe'aimed Henry; " I did n't 
 know that Noah had any carpenters." 
 
 "Certainly he must have had help in building one of 
 the largest and best-proportionejd ships ever put upon 
 the stoclcs. There must have been many ship-carpenters 
 at work for a long time, to have constructed such a ves- 
 sel in such an age. What became of them, think you, 
 
2 NOAII 8 CARPENTERS. 
 
 when all the fountains ef the great deep were broken 
 up, and the windows of heaven were opened ?" 
 
 "What do yuu mean by such a queer question?" 
 Henry replied. 
 
 " No matter what, just now. Please answer lite in- 
 quiry. And you may also tell me if you will, what 
 you would have done in that dreadful hour, when the 
 storm came in its fury, and Noah's prophecies were all 
 fulfilled, and all but the family of the preacher of right- 
 eousness were ready to be engulfed in those black 
 watt-rs ?" 
 
 " I don't know," said Henry, in a half thoughtful, 
 half trifling manner; "perhaps I should have got on 
 the rudder I" 
 
 "This is human nature exactly, Henry. It would 
 4 climb up some other way,' rather than enter the fold 
 by the oulv door. It would 'get on the rudder,' in its 
 pride and shortsightedness, rather than go into the ark 
 of safety. It would 'save itself,' by hanging on at the 
 hazard of bein^r swept into the gulf of despair, instead 
 of bring saved by the provision of infinite love. 
 
 "But I 'II tell you plainly what I mean, Henry, by 
 Noah's earpenters. You have kindly and generously 
 given me your aid day after day, in building an ark in 
 
 N , by which many, I trust, will be saved. 1 feel 
 
 g'ateful for your help. But I greatly fear that while 
 others will be rejoicing in the fruits oi our labors, you 
 will be swept away in the storm of wrath which will by 
 and by beat on the heads of those who enter not the ark 
 of Jesus Christ. No human device will avail lor you. 
 •Getting on the rudder' will not answer; you must be 
 in Christ, or you are lost. Remember Noah's Carpen- 
 ters, and flee to the ark without delay." 
 
 We reached the house and parted. The winter came. 
 
 The lad was placed at a boarding-school in . He 
 
 visited home during the winter vacation, and presented 
 himself to the church for admission to its communion. 
 He then stated that the conversation detailed above had 
 never passrd from his memory. It led him to serious 
 reflections, and ultimately, we trust, to the ark of safely. 
 He is now entering a career of wide-spread public use- 
 fulness. He will never forget Noah's carpenters. 
 
NOAH S CARPENTERS. *S 
 
 Though Noah's carpenters were all drowned, there 
 are a great many of the same stock now alive ; of t hose 
 who contribute to promote the spiritual good of others, 
 and aid in the upbuilding of the Redeemer's kingdom, 
 hut personally neglect the great salvation. 
 
 Sabbath-school children, who gather in the poor or con- 
 tribute their money to send tracts and books to the des- 
 titute, or lo aid In the work of missions, and yet remain 
 unconverted, are like Nonh's^Carnonters. 
 
 Teachers in Bible-classes and Sabbath-schools, who 
 point their pupils to the Lamb of God, but. do not lead 
 the way, are like guide-boards that toll the road, but are 
 not travellers on it; or like Noah's carpenters, who built 
 an ark, and were overwhelmed in the waters that bore 
 it aloft in safety. 
 
 Curehss parents, who instruct their children and ser- 
 vants, as every parent should, in the great doctrines of 
 the gospel, yet fail to illustrate these doctrines in their 
 lives, and seek not a personal interest in the blood of 
 Chris', are like Noah's carpenters, and must expect 
 their doom. 
 
 Printers, sewers, folders and binders, engaged in making 
 Bibles and religious books, book-sellers and publishers of 
 religious newspapers, who are doing much to increase 
 the know ledge of the gospel and to save souls, but so 
 many of whom are careless about their own salvation, 
 will have the mortification of knowing, that while their 
 toils have been instrumental of spiritual pood to thou- 
 sands, they were only the pack-mules 1 1 1 m t carried a 
 load to market without tasting it, or like Noah's car- 
 penters, who built a ship they never sailed. 
 
 Wealthy and liberal, but, unconverted men, who help to 
 build churches and sustain the institutions of (he gospel, 
 but who "will not come unto Christ that they may have 
 life/' are hewing the timbers and driving the nails of 
 the ark which they are too proud or too careless to enter. 
 Perhaps they think they will be safe on the "rudder;" 
 but they may find too late that when they would ride 
 they must swim — that when they would float they must 
 sink', with all their good deeds unmixed with faith as a 
 mill-stone about their necks. 
 
 Moralists who attend church and support the ministry, 
 
NOAH S CARPENTERS. 
 
 but who do not receive into their hearts the gospel they 
 tliu* sustain, are like Noah's carpenters. 
 
 The noble soldier who ri:>ks Ins life in the defence of 
 his country, who gives of his pay to scatter the word 
 of truth — who even distributes these tracts among his 
 comrades, may, in the end, lose his own immortal soul; 
 and, like Noah's carpeniers, drown bes,de the ark he 
 assisted in building. Doiit forget Noah's carpenters. 
 
 Perhaps the Christian reader will be encouraged by 
 this nana'ive to speak a word in season to seme of 
 these ark-builders. Their kindness should be acknowl- 
 edged. "These things ought they 10 have done." The 
 danger is, that the great tiling will be left undone. 
 Hun, speak to that younjr man. Teil him that the storm 
 of wrath will come. Tell him that "getting on the rud- 
 der" of ihe ark, and all other human devices for salva- 
 tion, are vain refuges of lies. Tell him that the ark is 
 open — that it is safe — that it waits fur him. The dove 
 and the olive branch are in this ark. The bow of m^rcy 
 spans the heavens above if. Peace, and hope, and sal- 
 vation are there. But, if scorned or neglected, when 
 once the door is shut, they only that are in the ark will 
 "remain alive." Who can abide ihat storm? Who 
 cati bufTet those waves? Who will survive that deluge? 
 
 "Many will say tn me in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in 
 thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy vumr donr tnany 
 wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them 1 never knew 
 yun : d part from me, ye workers of iniquity^ — Matt, vii, 22, "J3. 
 
 " I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection ; lent that by 
 any means, when 1 hare preached to others, 1 inystlf should be A 
 CASTAWAY.'— I Cob. ix, 27. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRACT SOCIETY. 
 
 Printed by Evans k Cogswell, No. 3 Broad street, Charleston. S. 0. 
 
Hollinger Corp. 
 P H8.5