TRIBUTE MONEY.

REPLICANT. In answer to QUERIST, No. 13, p. 269 and 316. It is much to my surprise that I am referred to the Article on Matt. xvii. 24-27, for a reply to my inquiry. On the contrary, it was this Article that suggested the question; for I there read (page 183) "It [the Temple tax] was not the tax of a heathen despot, to support a pagan temple, or to carry on the horrid trade of war. I cannot suppose that Christ would have yielded to such impious and unrighteous imposts, ** He would have resisted such iniquitous demands." Now, as the Cæsars were certainly heathen despots; and as the Roman revenues did certainly go to maintain an idolatrous religion, and a gigantic system of military conquest; it seems to me that, either our Lord's sentence respecting the payment of the Tribute money (Matt. xxvii. 17.)* must be understood as prohibitory; or, supposing it undecisive, some other Scripture must contain such a prohibition; or the writer of the Article referred to has assumed an untenable position. The question is one of immense practical importance; and it challenges a direct and definite reply. E. J. J.

* Numisma census.

MAN'S POWER OF RESISTING
TEMPTATION.

REPLICANT. In answer to QUERIST, No. 16, p. 270. The query of P. M. H. is one which may fairly be discussed. The Querist evidently assumes that man has the power of resisting temptation. Believing that such a doctrine is a thoroughly Biblical one and that it is only the reasonable act of an intelligent being to state the grounds of his faith, perhaps you will permit me to make a few remarks in reference to the suggestions on pages 316, 17.

The

To every sane man in all climes and ages, the Great Creator has given a moral compass to enable him to avoid the wrong and follow the right. This moral compass we call conscience. Decalogue was clearly declared to man in the full recognition of his possessing this inward monitor. It is the office of conscience to guide and to govern the volition and actions of man. "It was upon the authority of the law of natural conscience that Paul appealed to the Romans." The whole Bible in fact is one grand continuous argument in favor of the moral freedom and independence of

Between the cradle and the grave we are daily, on this revolving planet, undergoing a great training process. Our highest faculties and deepest feelings are continually being appealed to. It is ever onwards and upwards, or onwards and downwards. We have no stand-point in time. For every thought, word and deed we are held accountable.

Cowper in the lines

"Binding nature fast in fate

Left free the human will," forcibly expresses the responsibility of man. With all our freedom and accountability we are nevertheless by no means in a state of isolation.

The thought of the resources which are within the reach of every one of us is almost overwhelming. There is the Great Father, the loving Redeemer, the Great Guiding Spirit around us and above us. Man has only to give an upward, earnest, appealing, glance for aid, and he secures it.

Almighty love and wisdom called us into being, and God's ways are, and ever have been, just to man. Our moral dignity is in our own hands and under a merciful discipline we must work out our own salvation by availing ourselves of the ordained means and keeping the divine law.

Without diverging into the question of the origin of evil, I would ask whether its existence is not absolutely necessary to the development and growth of virtue

which I find temptation is essential to my spiritual well-being. Unless temptation assails me in an alluring and powerful form, it does not probe and try my moral nature, and therefore can prove of no earthly or heavenly virtue to me.-How true is the remark that has been made by one of our living preachers that—

"The virtue of many men is but vice sleeping."

Temptation is the only effectual instrumentality for qualifying man for a higher state of existence. It brings out his character, and by it alone is a man found to be just or unjust, pure or unclean, true or false. Job's history strikingly illustrates the truth of this view. Temptation brought out the triumphant godliness of the man. Sin is temptation yielded to. How incumbent upon us it is to be ever vigilant ; for whilst we have here no abiding city, an active, deadly influence, that never slumbers or rests, is unceasingly trying and proving

us.

In ethics as in physics the Father of all maintains a due relation between cause and effect. He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb will assuredly never allow a man to be tempted in any way beyond his power-that is, beyond his ability or strength to resist.

To speak of irresistible temptation, is to utter a solecism and to involve the speaker in inextricable difficulties. If a temptation be possibly irresistible-man's responsibility terminates, and the government of God would not harmonize with the principles of eternal justice.

Poor man if he cannot but yield, verily God's law is too hard

for him. Temptations beset him to which he must succumb Man is tempted beyond his strength to withstand, and to be overcome by temptation becomes literally a legitimate mode of expression.

In such a case man is clearly reduced to the creature of circumstances. His will is governed by his motives, and his motives have their origin in the influences and events of the hour.

Now the experience of all men will oppose this and declare it counterfeit. God is always good; and although every one of us has had to do battle with dark thoughts and knows the potent influence of temptation we must all confess that no sin has been committed by us that we were compelled to commit.

Sin is the transgression of law; and whenever we have been tempted to do the wrong, we have always had the power, the strength, the ability to say-no. When we have yielded and sinned, in the sad hour of sin we were exercising the fearful prerogative of our nature, and there was the right path before us.

Conscience moreover tells us that inasmuch as the deed was wrong, not a compulsory one, it was indeed our own act and avoidable.

The goodness of the Creator and the freedom of the creature are deduced from the doctrine of the querist, and it subordinates temptation to the welfare of man and the glory of God.

The doctrine specially manifests the necessity for cultivating good principles and a prayerful and watchful spirit. Life is short and uncertain, and our warfare a spiritual one. "Resist the devil and he will flee." Let us glory in our freedom; and whilst realizing the momentous responsibilities which weigh upon us, may we not rely upon our own arm of flesh, but rely upon Him who is King over all now and for ever.

The doctrine is a scriptural one. May it conduce to our progress in Christian truth and excellence. "By their fruits shall ye know them." ORA ET LABORA.

Queries to be answered in our next number.

21. Is the Magisterial character of God as distinguished from His Parental anything more than a theological fiction? If so, Is there any just reason for supposing that He ever does, or ever can do in that capacity anything different to what His Love as the Infinite Father would dictate! INQUIRER.

THE EVILS OF VANITY AS ILLUSTRATED IN HAYDON THE ARTIST.

The life of Haydon, a modern painter of considerable celebrity, furnishes a painful example of the mischief which results from an over estimation of our own abilities. The autobiography of the

unfortunate artist is written with much honesty, and discloses the source of his deep sorrows, whilst it records them. In early life he manifested a great aversion to the ordinary duties of life. When he commenced his career as a painter, he adopted what he loved

to speak of as "the grand style." There can be no difference of opinion among reasonable men, that one of the first duties of every mortal man who cannot live without eating, and cannot be comfortable without suitable clothing and lodging, is to endeavor to provide these essentials for himself, and those dependent on him. If a hero, here is to be manifested the first effort of his heroism; if a genius, here should be witnessed the earliest flights of his genius; if a poet, here is room for his primary struggle after what is beautiful.

Poor Haydon was far more disposed to cast his share of the common burden on his immediate acquaintance, or on the commonwealth. The smaller and the larger circle, not having as yet sufficient evidence of his preeminent worth, were somewhat tardy in supporting him in this manner. It was quite evident he could paint well; and if he would condescend to paint portraits, and such other pictures as his friends and the public wanted, there were those who would reimburse him liberally. Such efforts however were regarded by Haydon as beneath his notice; and he was consequently in great danger of starving, whilst engaged in painting some great picture by which his fortune was to be made, and his name immortalized. It is evident, however, that he did possess great power, and that circumstances did largely favor him. About the year 1814 Haydon received five hundred guineas for one of his pictures, named "The Judgment of Solomon." The sum was sufficient to pay off such debts as he ought not to have contracted, and would have secured him credit enough to proceed in his efforts undisturbed. Unfortunately there was

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a disposition on his part to allow "the grand style" to intrude elsewhere besides his studio. In 1820 the artist believed that he was entering on a career more splendid than had ever been the lot of an English painter. His picture, "The Entry of Christ into Jerusalem," was exhibited in London and was received with unqualified and enthusiastic approbation. It met with a reception equally favourable in Edinburgh and Glasgow. By the mere display of this celebrated painting, the artist cleared the sum of two thousand two hundred pounds. This large amount, with all that he had received from numerous sources, did not relieve him from pecuniary embarrassment. His friends were now numerous, and many of them were wealthy :from these he obtained, as loans, considerable sums of money. All these however proved insufficient. He borrowed therefore from those who were not so patient, and was soon placed in the King's Bench Prison. He was released through the generosity of those who admired his genius, and pardoned his follies. But a haughty spirit soon led him to do battle with the " Academy," and so to estrange many of his best friends. His sufferings became extreme, and much of his time was spent in prison; indeed he long regarded it as his home. Within its precincts he painted the "Chairing of the Member," depicting on canvass a mirthfulness to which his soul had long been a stranger. Other pictures were executed in the same undesirable abode. The artist, gifted as he undeniably was, could not now extricate himself from the thorny mazes into which his own pride of heart had led him.

Had he secured correct views of his powers and of his vocation,

a

his path in middle and later life might have been exceedingly pleasant. As it was the way became exceedingly dreary, toilsome and threatening. He had been accustomed to keep a journal, and had therein faithfully recorded the aspirations he indulged, often hopeful and lofty indeed. How would his spirit have revolted with horror, if, in 1820, journal, as afterwards completed by his own hand, could have been spread in vision before him! In Midsummer 1846, he made the latest entries in the book which had often been opened to receive the glowing anticipations of his sanguine spirit. They read thus: -"June 21st,-Slept horribly. Prayed in sorrow, and got up in agitation.

"June 22nd,-God forgive me! Amen. Finis of B. R. Haydon."

We pass no judgment on the eternal state of the sufferer. No doubt his brain was seriously affected by the miserable privations and degradation through which he had long been passing. But whilst we leave the soul with God, the Judge of all, we feel sadness of heart that Haydon, possessed of talents so great, should have been so terribly injured by his own fatal error.

Benjamin Smith.

THE MOST HONORABLE.

"Two men I honor, and no third. First: The toil worn craftsman, that with earth-made implement laboriously conquers the earth, and makes her man's. Venerable to me is the hard hand; crooked, coarse; wherein notwithstanding lies a cunning virtue, indefeasibly royal, as of the sceptre of this planet. Venerable too is the rugged face, all weather-tanned, besoiled, with its rude intelligence; for it is the face of a man living manlike.

Oh, but the more venerable for thy rudeness, and even because we must pity as well as love thee! Hardly-entreated Brother! For us was thy back so bent, for us were thy straight limbs and fingers so deformed: thou wert our conscript, on whom the lot fell, and fighting our battles wert so marred. For in thee too lay a Godcreated form, but it was not to be unfolded; encrusted must it stand with the thick adhesions and defacements of labor; and thy body, like thy soul, was not to know freedom. Yet toil on, toil on; thou art in thy duty, be out of it who may; thou toilest for the altogether indispensable, for daily bread. A second man I honor, and still more highly: him who is seen toiling for the spiritually indispensable; not daily bread, but the Bread of Life. Is not he too in his duty; endeavoring towards inward harmony; revealing this, by act or by word, through all his outward endeavors, be they high or low? Highest of all, when his outward and his inward endeavor are one: when we can name him artist; not earthly craftsman only, but inspired thinker, who with heaven-made implements conquers heaven for us! If the poor and humble toil that we have food, must not the high and glorious toil for him in return, that he have light, have guidance, freedom, immortality? These two, in all their degrees, I honor: all else is chaff and dust, which let the wind blow whither it listeth. Unspeakably touching is it, however, when I find both dignities united; and he that must toil outwardly for the lowest of man's wants, is also toiling inwardly for the highest. Sublimer in this world know I nothing than a peasant saint, could such now anywhere be met