of the book of "The Revelation:"- "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen : blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and praise, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes, and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more; neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." SORROWS OF HUMANITY AND GOSPEL CONSOLATION. "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ.”—PAUL. "I will not leave you comfortless."-JESUS CHRIST. THE statement of Job-though uttered under deep mental depression-that "man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward," is confirmed by the inward consciousness and general experience of mankind. The introduction of sin into the world, by the eating of the forbidden fruit, is well described by our great epic poet, as having "Brought death into our world; and all our woe." An awful line; and how full of the saddest and most melancholy meaning, the impressive and comprehensive words, "all our woe." In how many hearts do the words vibrate in most dolorous sounds. But what imagination can grasp the mighty conception, or fathom the depth of meaning, contained in the words, "all our woe!" As it would be impossible to collect into one great reservoir all the tears that humanity has ever shed, or concentrate into one heart-rending wail all man's expressions of anguish, so it is impossible for the mind fully to grasp the overwhelming idea, "all our woe." It is, however, true, that "each heart knows its own bitterness." And all need, and desire consolation. But where is it to be found? "Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it to be found in the land of the living. The depth saith, it is not in me: and the sea saith, it is not in me. It cannot be gotten for gold; neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls, for the price of it is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it; neither shall it be be valued with pure gold." The question is one that man asks in solemn earnest; where is consolation to be found? Man wants that which will not merely divert, but console and sustain his mind, amid all the evils and sorrows that "flesh is heir to." We can no more evade sorrow, than escape from ourselves. It meets us in every "lane of life." It assails us in society; and accompanies us into solitude. Its sombre countenance looks out upon us in the gayest company; and forces itself on our attention, when mixing up with, and gazing upon, the most charming scenes. It falls upon the soul, at times, with as much с apparent gentleness as the dew; but how strong is its power even then! At other times, its sound is as the noisy wind, or the roaring sea. It sometimes comes as a storm that threatens to destroy us, and which carries away the delight of our eyes at a stroke. Our dear friend wastes away; yea, he gives up the ghost, and where is he? "Who has not lost a friend?" Sometimes sorrow seizes hold of the soul 66 as an armed man ;" laying us prostrate under its powerful grasp. Although its source is often without, not unfrequently it is from within us. Our sins, the consciousness of guilt, the dread of future wrath, the thought of an offended God, anticipations of our final doom, often spread a dark influence over the soul. Ah! it is a conviction of our sinfulness, and a dread of punishment -forebodings arising from within-that throw a gloom over outward things. It is sin that has separated between us and God, and peace. We are unhappy because we are unholy. We suffer because we have sinned. We dread the future because of the present guilt. It is often not so much from the storms raging without us, as from the fearful state of wickedness within that our unhappiness springs. The fountain is within, from whence the bitter streams often rise. No remedy, therefore, that leaves the heart untouched, that effects no cure in the man himself, will be of any avail in affording real and permanent consolation. "If happiness have not her seat And centre in the breast; We may be wise, or rich, or great, We are kept in bondage through fear of death. We sigh because conscience condemns, and God frowns. All light proceeding not from the "Sun of Righteousness," will be as unavailing for the wants of the soul, as artificial lamps would be for supplying the place of the bright "orb of day." The private history of the most gifted men, overtaken by the bereavements and sorrow of life, when strangers to the gospel, proves the inadequacy of earthly things to heal the wounds, and soothe the sorrows of the soul. Many of these men have sunk down into the most hopeless despondency-not a few have died of a broken heart. -some have sought relief in vice—and many, alas! in suicide. That life is a "battle," a "trial," a "vale of tears," we need not further attempt to prove. No doubt, the reader could add his own testimony to the "great cloud of witnesses," which have proclaimed that man is subject to sorrow. Without being mawkish or sentimental-without ignoring the various sources of earthly bliss, that are open to us—we may still say, and that without contradiction "This world is a sorrowful stage, A valley of weeping and woe; |