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to them as the instrument of their redemption; not a word they spoke could be recalled, and so they perished; their light went out in darkness, and they were not remembered more than the insect of yesterday. Will you thus live and die, O man immortal? Live for something. Do good, and leave behind you a monument of virtue that the storm of time can never destroy. Write your name in kindness, and love, and mercy, on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with, year by year: you will never be forgotten. No; your name, your deeds, will be as legible on the hearts you leave behind, as the stars on the brow of evening. Good deeds will shine as the stars of heaven.

"I NEVER KNEW BEFORE YOU WERE A CHRISTIAN."

THIS was the salutation received by a Christian brother, as he was met by a friend when leaving a prayermeeting.

"O, yes!" was the reply to the implied inquiry, "I've been a member of the church two or three years."

"Is it possible?" was the rejoinder: "well, I never knew it ;" and at once a new topic of conversation was introduced. But the echo of those words, "I never knew before you were a Christian," sounded drearily through that man's heart, startling from their securities doubts, fears, and eager questionings. What wonder that he pondered on the words? what wonder that again and again he searched his heart to see if indeed his soul had experienced the blessings of redemption? what wonder if again he renewed his covenant-vows, and again consecrated himself more unreservedly to his Master's service ?

Of how many professing Christians might the same be said, by those even with whom they are thrown in frequent contact! Alas! if, in the momentous judgment-hour, Jesus should say to the waiting soul, "I never

knew you were a Christian," where, then, should hope be found? When He who has said, "By their fruits shall ye know them," has come year after year, seeking fruit and finding none, will He not presently say, "Cut it down why cumbereth it the ground?" O, may the Christians of this land yield in season the fruit of holy living, that men may take knowledge of them that they have been taught of God. A very good man once said, "If I should meet a person but once, I should wish in that one interview to leave upon his mind the conviction that Jesus was my Friend."

THE DOINGS OF FAITH AND
UNBELIEF.

FAITH, saith Bunyan, believeth the word of God; but UNBELIEF questioneth the certainty of the same. (Psalm cvi. 24.)

Faith sees more in a promise of God to help, than in all other things to hinder; but unbelief, notwithstanding God's promise, saith, How can these things be? (Rom. iv. 19-21; 2 Kings vii. 2; John iii. 11, 12.)

Faith makes thee see love in the heart of Christ, when with His mouth He gives reproofs; but unbelief imagines wrath in His heart, when with His mouth and word He says He loves us. (Matt. xv. 22-28; xxv. 24.)

Faith will help the soul to wait, though God defers to give; but unbelief will fret and throw up all, if God makes any tarrying. (Ps. xxv. 5 ; Isai. viii. 17; 2 Kings vi. 33.)

Faith will give comforts in the midst of fears; but unbelief causeth fears in the midst of comforts. (2 Chron. xx. 20, 21; Matt. viii. 26; Luke xxiv. 25.)

Faith will suck sweetness out of God's rod; but unbelief can find no comfort in His greatest mercies. (Ps. xxii.; Num. xii.)

Faith maketh great burdens light; but unbelief maketh light ones intolerably heavy. (Mal, i. 12, 13.)

Faith helpeth us when we are down ; but unbelief throws us down when we are up. (Micah vii. 8-10; Heb. iv. 11.) Faith brings us near to God when we are far from Him; but unbelief puts us far from God when we are near to Him. (Heb. x. 22; iii. 12, 13.)

Where faith reigns, it declareth them to be the friends of God; but where unbelief reigns, it declareth them to be His enemies. (Heb. iii. 18; Rev. xxi. 8.) Faith putteth a man under grace; but unbelief holdeth him under wrath. (Rom. ii. 24-26; Eph. ii. 8; John iii. 36; 1 John v. 10; Heb. iii. 17; Mark xvi. 16; John viii. 24.)

Faith purifieth the heart; but unbelief keepeth it polluted and impure. (Acts xv. 19; Titus i. 15, 16.)

By faith the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us; but by unbelief we are shut up under the law to perish. (Rom. iv. 23, 24; xi. 32; Gal. iii. 23.) Faith giveth us peace and comfort in our souls; but unbelief worketh trouble and tossings, like the restless waves of the sea. (Rom. v. 1; James iv. 1.)

Faith maketh us see preciousness in Christ; but unbelief sees no form, beauty, or comeliness in Him. (1 Pet. ii.; Isai. liii. 1—3.)

By faith we have our life in Christ's fulness; but by unbelief we starve and pine away. (Gal. ii. 20.)

Faith gives us the victory over the law, sin, death, the devil, and all evils; but unbelief maketh us obnoxious to them all. (1 John v. 4; Luke xii. 46.)

Faith will show us more excellency in things not seen, than in them that are; but unbelief sees more in things that are, than in things that will be hereafter. (2 Cor. iv. 18; Heb. xi. 24-27; 1 Cor. xv. 32.)

Faith makes the ways of God pleasant and admirable; but unbelief maketh them heavy and hard. (Gal. v. 6; 2 Cor. xii. 10, 11; John vi. 60; Ps. ii. 3.) "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our FAITH."

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THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN. A NEW-Zealand Chief was laid on a sick bed he was asked, "Do you pray that you may get well ?" "No," he replied: "we have no good God to whom we can speak: our gods make us sick, and kill us, but give us nothing. Yours is a good God, who hears you when you pray. Teach us to know Him; for New-Zealand people know nothing that is good."

It is only the Bible that makes known this good God. "The Lord is good," He is "abundant in goodness." "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. v. 8.) There are hundreds of similar texts which tell us of the love and goodness of God: but the poor Heathen are ignorant of all these ; they have no Bible to tell them of the love of God.

When they think of their gods, they think of them as cruel beings, who delight in human blood and human misery. This leads parents to kill their children, and children to murder their parents; and causes men to burn, drown, and, in other ways, to destroy one another. As they think of their gods, so they fashion them; they make them frightfullooking images; in some cases, with rows of skulls round their necks for beads, and their hands and mouths stained with blood. They are objects of terror to young and old. But 66 our God is merciful;" and that we may be like Him, we are taught, "Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (Luke vi. 36.)

They also think of their gods as if they were like themselves, living in all kinds of sin: they believe them to be thieves, murderers, and drunkards; and the feasts kept in their honour scenes of the worst vices and crimes. When a Hindoo was rebuked for his sinful conduct, he said

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to the Missionary, I may do as the gods do they sin, and so may I." If this man had read the Bible, he would have found it written therein, "Be ye holy, for I am holy," saith the Lord. (1 Peter i. 16.)

Heathens often treat their gods with disrespect and scorn. They have been heard to say to an idol, "If you will grant us our request, we will give you an offering of sweetmeats, fruit, and flowers; or, we will worship you for many days to come: but if you will not give us what we ask, we will keep you without a drop of water; or, we will put a rope round your neck, and drag you round the house; or, which will be worst of all, we will beat you with a slipper!" If there should be a want of rain, they have been known to build up a wall of bricks round their idol, and threaten to keep him a prisoner, until he helps them. Some years ago, at a place called Nussack, the people bricked up their poor god, and presented neither offerings nor worship, until the rain began to fall: they then took away the bricks, and begged pardon of the idol for treating him so unkindly. What low ideas must they have of their gods when they can treat them in this manner!

Can they love such gods? No! They may be filled with fear and terror, but they cannot truly love them; they may join with delight in the sinful feasts, but they cannot feel any reverence for these vain idols. But the God whom we worship is worthy of, and claims, our highest love. We love Him for what He is in Himself; great and good, holy and merciful. We love Him for what He is to us, our Father in heaven. We love Him most of all, when we think of the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He freely gave Him to die for us, that through Him we might obtain the forgiveness of our sins, and the salvation of our souls.

THINGS THAT FRIGHTEN US.

"AND the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail." (Exod. iv. 4.)

MOSES was one of the most remarkable men in the Old Testament. His life was a scene of chequered change. He was born in trouble, cradled in danger, schooled in splendour, educated in solitude, and called to heaven in mystery. Like all other great men, he was disciplined in the midst of difficulties, and sanctified in the midst of sufferings. We have him here in the presence of something that frightened him. Let us learn a lesson from the circumstances.

1. That in passing through the duties of life, we often meet with things that frighten us.-Moses did. Once it was a man, now a serpent. These may be taken as types of difficulties we all meet with in passing through life. 1. Hard lessons. 2. Hard labour. 3. Hard living, &c.

2. That fleeing away through fear is not the way to put to flight things that frighten us." Moses fled from before it." But still it remained a serpent. Such a course could not alter its form or character.

So with hard lessons, hard labour, hard living, hard fighting; if we flee away in fear, we shall only make matters worse. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Examples, Jonah, Elijah, &c.

3. That there is a right way to deal with things that frighten us." Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail."

There is no difficulty but there is a way out of it, and no furnace but there is a way through it. With a right method, and strong resolution, the hardest lesson can be learned, the hardest labour performed, the hardest living endured, the hardest fighting sustained.

4. That if we don't know the right way to deal with things that frighten us, there is One who does.-"The

Lord said unto Moses," &c. The Lord is, 1. All-seeing; 2. All-wise; 3. All-powerful. Let us be, 1. Penitent; 2. Prayerful; then we shall be, 3. Powerful to overcome all difficulties, and to put to flight the things that frighten us.

"COME BOLDLY TO THE

THRONE OF GRACE."

If you want your spiritual life to be more healthy and vigorous, says Ryle, you must come boldly to the throne of grace. The secret of your weakness is your little faith and little prayer. The fountain is unsealed, but you only sip a few drops. The bread of life is before you, yet you only eat a few crumbs. The treasury of heaven is open, but you only take a few pence. O, man of little faith! wherefore do you doubt? Awake to know your privileges; awake, and sleep no longer.

Tell me not of spiritual hunger, and thirst, and poverty, so long as the throne of grace is before you. Say rather you are proud, and will not come to it as a poor sinner; say rather you are slothful, and will not take pains to get more. Cast aside the grave-clothes of pride that still hang around you. Throw off that Egyptian garment of indolence which ought not to have been brought through the Red Sea.

Away with that unbelief which ties and paralyses your tongue. You are not straitened in God, but in yourself. Come boldly to the throne of grace, where the Father is ever waiting to give, and Jesus stands by Him to intercede. Come boldly; for you may, all sinful as you are, if you come in the name of the great High Priest.

Come boldly, and ask largely, and you shall have abundant answers; mercy like a river, and grace and strength like a mighty stream. Come

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boldly, and you shall have supplies exceeding all you ask or think.

"Hitherto you have asked nothing: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

LAZY READERS.

IT has been remarked by the celebrated Haller, that we are deaf while we are yawning. The same act of drowsiness that stretches open our mouths closes our ears. It is much the same in acts of the understanding. A lazy, half attention amounts to a mental yawn. Where, then, a subject that demands thought has been thoughtfully treated, and with an exact and patient derivation from its principles, we must be willing to exert a portion of the same effort, and to think with the author, or the author will have thought in vain for us.

RELIGION IN PAYING DEBTS.

WRITES one, "Men may sophisticate as they please. They can never make it right, and all the bankrupt laws in the universe cannot make it right, for them not to pay their debts. There is a sin in this neglect as clear and deserving church-discipline as is stealing or false swearing. He who violates his promise to pay, or withholds payment of a debt when it is in his power to meet his engagement, ought to be made to feel that in the sight of all honest men he is a swindler. If religion does not make a man deal justly, it is not the religion of

the Bible."

Good! every word. If you owe anybody a penny, and have a penny in your possession, go and pay it. If you have none, go work, dig, ditch, plough, work any honest work, until you get it, and pay it. You will breathe freer, and sleep easier. You will honour and love all men and yourself more.

THE BANKS OF THE TAMAR. No. XV.

"THE glories of our birth and state

Are shadows, not substantial things; There is no armour against fate:

Death lays his icy hands on kings;

Sceptre and crown

Must tumble down,

And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade."

Now then I was on my way over the hill to Cargreen. I had formed, I thought, a sort of tender friendship with every object, the lowliest thing even, that helped to give a distinctive beauty to the road; and yet something fresh and new seemed now to unveil itself at every step. It was on the Cornish side of the river, but there could be no lovelier specimens of the true Devonshire lane. The peculiar depth, the verdant richness, the mellowed light, and the mysterious whisperings breaking on the balmy stillness, all were there to touch one's soul. There at length was the little hamlet, gently bending towards the river from the ridge of its green headland. An open path down through a steep meadow brought me to the village-orchards, and a narrow way which might help to recall an inspired story about one who met an angel in "a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side." No vineyard-path even in the land of promise could be richer, sweeter, more refreshing, or more full of simple pure enchantment than that little shaded gully-like road into Cargreen. And then I was free to enjoy it. There was no unearthly form to check my steps, or point his flaming sword at my conscience. Nor was I in a temper to need reproof from the tongue of an ass. No, the sight of the rural homes, from whose simple hearths there now came the healthy and grateful scent of the smoking fagot, called up too many holy and happy recollections for me to think of any other than "the Angel of His presence," who once said, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Any person might have thought,

however, that he was wandering among the footprints of One whose "paths drop fatness." I was in a depth of luxuriance. The walls which bounded the orchards, and for some little way shaded the path, were most curiously but beautifully mantled with an interwoven variety of creeping plants richly embroidered and gemmed with the wood-strawberry blossom, grouped with wild geraniums, primroses, and lingering violets. On passing down the lowly street, which was as quiet as ever, I found my boatman at his post, lounging with a sort of dreamy watchfulness in the stern of his well-trimmed "Water-Witch." The parlour of the "decent public," which overlooked the village-jetty, afforded very agreeable shade and rest while our cheerful hostess was making a hasty dinner ready for us. This was soon forthcoming, with many apologies from the good woman, as she laid the cloth, for what she called the "rough fashion" in which it was set out. Kind-hearted creature! she little knew how many worse fashions I had met with in much grander places. She managed, after all, to furnish the table with a plentiful, tempting, and savoury meal. The fare was wholesome, and it was cleanly served. Nor is it a small enjoyment under such circumstances to prove that "hunger is the best sauce." All natural cravings being properly stilled, my mind was set upon Clifton. As I turned off towards the storied spot, a loving glance was cast towards a small building at the top of the village, around which holy memories must ever cluster, while there is "left one stone upon another." It was a house of prayer. And within those hallowed walls some of the purest Christian spirits that ever lived had received "with meekness the engrafted word," and had often "lifted up their voice with one accord to God," "in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs." "Blessed souls!" thought I, in passing, "I shall never again see those intelligent happy faces, upturned, and seeming to reflect other light than what fell from the bright chandelier which hung from the