Presbyterian, yet he does not seem at first to have been very decided in his ecclesiastical views. At one time he thought of entering the English Church. But being led from circumstances to study the subject of church polity, he became a very decided Presbyterian, and began to turn his eye back to the land of Presbytery.

Yet he did not in after years forget the land in which for a season he had been a stranger, nor the church with which, through one of her many good men, he had been brought into fellowship. Writing to a servant in England, who had formerly been a member of his congregation in Perth, he thus speaks :

'Oh, do not think that our heavenly Father neglects his children, or that our brother Joseph forgets his brethren and sisters. You must not despise the Church of England. If I know the Lord at all, it was in her that He was first revealed to me. You are kindly remembered by many friends here. I have a letter from Mr. | Burns. He is still at Newcastle, but finds himself much opposed; but he is persevering in the work of the Lord. He seeks to be remembered before the Lord.'-Perth, 20th Sept. 1841.

on.

He was appointed lecturer on the Sabbath evenings in Gilcomston Church, Aberdeen, of which the late Dr. Bryce was at that time the minister. After he accepted, but before he entered on his duty, he became depressed in spirit, afraid to undertake the work. It was with great difficulty that he was persuaded to go But when fully commenced, he proceeded vigorously, and gave great satisfaction to all concerned, especially as a visitor. He remained there till he went to Perth; and on leaving Gilcomston he received a handsome testimonial in token of esteem and gratitude. It was during this period that he had a severe attack of typhus fever, so that his life was despaired of. But many years were before him, and much work for God, though at that time men knew it not.

Mr. Milne left Aberdeen in 1839, and was settled in St. Leonard's, Perth, on the 7th of November of that year. In that settlement no one rejoiced more than his old friend Mr. Andrew Gray, who, at the first meeting of Presbytery after the return of the Palestine deputation in the end of the same year, introduced him to my brother of Collace, with the remark, Now, I'm sure you two will be friends.' And so indeed they were from that day forward. In a letter, some sixteen years after, from India, which will be found in full in another place, he refers to this: I still remember our first meeting in the Old Presbytery, and where I was sitting when you came in and shook hands; and then R. M'Cheyne and you coming in to me at 14 Rose Terrace, and laughing at my carte blanche to Miss to collect a staff of lady Sabbathschool teachers; and then our next meeting in the vestry of Kinnoul Street Church.'

The following letters, as having reference to this period, may be quoted here, as giving us a glimpse of himself by himself :

:

'Perth, 2d Oct. 1839.-MY DEAR SIR,-I have only this moment received your letter, having been for a few days in the country. I am ashamed

to think that I should have been so long in writing to you. But this arose in some measure from the peculiar circumstances in which I was placed. On arriving here, just a week ago, I found my friends waiting for me, and expecting me to go before the Presbytery; which I did, and went through this part of the customary trials, and had this day fixed for the remainder. I then took up my abode with Mr. Gray, with whom I lived till Sunday, when I went out to officiate for another Aberdeenshire man, Mr. Noble of St. Madoes. I did not come to town till to-day, which was the reason of my not getting your letter sooner. To-day I met the Presbytery, and finished my trials, when they fixed the 7th of November for my ordination. It might have taken place sooner, but I rather wished it be put off till after the Sacrament, which takes place on the 3d of that month. I am sorry to say that, till to-day, I gave way too much to the unhappy depression under which I had so long laboured. It was very foolish, for I found every one here very kind. I have just been looking for lodgings, but have not yet fixed upon a place, though I shall probably do so to-morrow. It would not, I find, answer to take up house at present, as the expense of housekeeping would, I fear, be more than my income could well afford. I think it will be better, therefore, to get rid, as soon as possible, of the furniture which I have in Aberdeen. Perhaps you will add to your many former kindnesses, that of assisting my aunt in doing so, and in getting my books packed and forwarded as soon as possible. I shall not feel at home till I have them about me. Mr. Gray, who is now sitting beside me, says he will call upon you when he is in Aberdeen, whither he is going to assist at Mr. Primrose's Sacrament. I shall expect to hear from you by him, or sooner if convenient. The truth is, I am almost ashamed to write, after all the sin and obstinacy and absurdity of which I have been guilty. I must endeavour now to redeem the time, and by diligence and devotedness to make what amends I can for past unstedfastness and vacillation. I had sat down to write to you this day week, but was called away to something else; and on the following day I felt again so dispirited, that I put off writing from time to time.-Believe me, my dear sir, very sincerely yours,―JOHN MILNE.

P.S.-You were right in thinking that preaching would do me good. I have felt better ever since, and now hope that all will go forward prosperously.

FRANCIS EDMOND, Esq.,

Advocate, Aberdeen.'

A few weeks later, he thus writes to the same esteemed friend and correspondent :

'Perth, 14 Rose Terrace, 30th Oct. 1839.-MY DEAR SIR,-I was duly favoured with your letter in immediate answer to my own; and I feel ashamed when I think how long a period I have suffered to elapse without answering it. You are, however, aware what a dilatory correspondent I am, and will find an explanation, if not an excuse, for the delay, in my perverse and inveterate habit of procrastination. I have heard

repeatedly from my aunt, and have learned from her the kind regard which you have expressed for me, and the great trouble which you have taken about my affairs; and when I add to this all the kindness I personally experienced before I came away, I feel myself at a loss how to express my thankfulness. I shall only say that the conduct which you have on this occasion pursued towards me makes me think better of our common nature, and also strengthens my faith in the love of God; for if we receive such constant and ill-requited regard from the creature, may we not expect as much from Him who gives to all liberally, and upbraideth not? I trust that what has passed between us will lay the foundation of an intimate and abiding friendship. I am now settled in Rose Terrace, in the family of a Mr. M'Naughton, and think I shall find myself very comfortable. The situation is, I think, the best about Perth, facing the North Inch; and you will be delighted with the prospect from the windows. I received my books in safety, and have to thank you for your kind care in getting them packed and forwarded. I felt rather at a loss till they arrived. I have not, however, been doing much in a ministerial capacity since I came here. It was only last Sabbath that I began preaching in St. Leonard's, having hitherto been engaged in officiating for the country brethren. I have, however, visited some of the congregation, and found them ready to receive me with a hearty welcome. I have not yet met with any of those difficulties which so much alarmed me; and I cannot help looking back upon this part as on a troubled dream, the origin of which I find it difficult to explain. Let me remind you that my ordination takes place on the 7th November, to-morrow week, when I expect to have the pleasure of seeing you, notwithstanding the doubt which you expressed regarding it.'

Some days after his ordination, he thus writes to the same:

'The proceedings of Thursday went off very comfortably. The ordination service was conducted by Mr. Duncan of Abernethy. His text was 2 Cor. iv. 5, “Ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." The sermon, though long and

heavily delivered, was faithful, for he is a good man. In the evening a large party met, and spent a very pleasant evening. There was a great deal of speechifying, and I am happy to say that our Aberdeen friends made a very favourable impression on the people of Perth, by the displays they made of this kind of eloquence. Yesterday Mr. Bryce and I preached; and now I trust I have plain sailing before me, save that I must look for the usual difficulties from without, incident to this office, and the peculiar hindrances which I know I shall experience from my own indolence and unbelief. It is, however, as you have often told me, a good work; and I trust we shall have no reason to regret what we have done: you, that you have urged me to enter upon it; and I, that I have yielded to your entreaties-let me add, your tears. My dear sir, my heart will always warm at the thought of you, and I hope we shall soon have the pleasure of meeting.-Perth, 11th Nov. 1839.'

The depressions referred to in the above letters seem to have rather increased in intensity as he grew older; as ministerial work pressed upon him; as annoyances troubled him, or sorrow weighed upon his tender and loving spirit. During his first residence in Perth they were of frequent occurrence (sometimes brought on by very trivial causes), but not to such a degree as afterwards. After the death of his first wife and second child, he sank much; and then came the thought of India. In India he had occasional depressions; but none very severe till 1856, when alone. In 1857 one seemed coming, but passed off. That in 1859 was very severe; but when it passed off he had not another, not even in the slightest degree, till the last in 1867, which was the severest of all. Mysteriously did that stroke upon his head in boyhood develop its effects in his subsequent life. How it told upon his mental energies and spiritual health, is difficult to determine. How it helped or how it hindered; how it roused or how it paralyzed; what it made him learn or unlearn; how it softened and subdued, and moulded and mellowed, can only be known hereafter. (To be continued.)

C

MINDING ONE'S

ERTAINLY there is no safer rule of conduct. And at first blush no rule seems clearer of apprehension and easier of obedience. Like all primary laws of human life, it has an interpretation down to the level of the most inferior capacity, so that the feeblest are hourly, in some measure, comprehending and acting | upon its meaning; while, at the same time, it is of such wide and varied understandings and applications, that its exact import and fulfilment is the rarest attainment. Why cannot men, why do not men, mind their own business? He is indeed happy who has settled in his own judgment what his work is, and is content to do it, without intermeddling in the affairs of others, or affairs which do not properly belong to him. 'Water is not ponderous in its proper place.' One may be a fool in most matters; yet, if he stick to his own little world, however narrow, his folly will hardly be seen, or, if seen, will be readily tolerated. But the moment he oversteps his own bounds, his folly becomes apparent and contemptible-a reproach and an annoyance to himself and others.

A lawyer who had not been remarkably successful in his profession, nor in any special direction of labour, said to an intimate friend, 'I have never been able to discern my mission in life; my life seems to me a failure, and I am constantly oppressed with this painful thought.' Now, it so happened that this lawyer, though not a man of brilliant parts, was yet a man of great probity, calm judgment, and in all respects of high personal worth. Your calling,' said his friend, is very clear to me. You are raised up to illustrate Honesty. You have a function in the community superior to that of most around you-to show to men what is character.' It was true that there was no man among his fellow-citizens who was more resorted to for the settlement of disputes, and whose judgment and motives were more quoted and trusted. He was a citizen who was content with the duties of his own sphere, and who was free from the suspicion of selfish ambition or grasping, and was consequently respected, and believed to be incapable of partiality. Had he appeared to the community to know more about everybody's business than his own-to be more concerned for everybody's virtues and vices, successes and reverses, than his own, it is hardly likely that such would have been their estimate of his character.

The very harmony of society depends upon the observance of this law. The fruitful source of mischief is in its disregard. Through a corroding curiosity, through an excessive selfconceit, or a morbid sentiment of goodness, multitudes seek to pry into and to manage what is beyond their nearest and most manifest obligations. They are disturbers of the peace. But there is no power by which they can be arrested but an appeal to their self-respect, or by resort to satire, whose keen edge is often wielded to the discomfiture of intruders and pests. Such

OWN BUSINESS.

people fancy they can always rule better than their rulers; can preach a great deal more appropriately, understand far better the wants of a congregation, than their pastors; know incalculably better what other men should do with their money-to what and in what proportion they should give it-than they do themselves. Indeed, such are so absorbed with other people's thoughts, that they have no thoughts left of their own. If they could be shut up in a community or church to themselves, the result would be as with the fabled serpents which, according to Epiphanius, certain Egyptians put into a bag, and when they had opened it, they found that the greatest had eaten up the rest, and half of itself.

Still, it cannot be denied that there is a sense in which this subject is beset with difficulties. It is of first importance to determine what is one's own business. Surely one's concernments are not confined to the routine of daily work. His thoughts and affections are not to be so exclusively occupied with self that he has no care for others, or for matters which lie outside of a merely personal welfare; otherwise patriotism, philanthropy, secular and social progress, religion itself, would be an illusion; whereas nothing is more obvious than that these sentiments are realities, binding up, in their intensest meaning and force, by far the largest and noblest duties of man. One may be a merchant, with no aspirations for office, but positive aversion to it; yet it is his business that no violence be done to the person, property, and rights of the humblest citizen. As a lover of humanity, of order, morals, and religion, he has to do with traffics which ruin the bodies and souls of men, superinduce disorder in the community, and retard the progress of religion and morality. It is an old, weak tale, which events have long since exploded, that a man shall have no opinion and utter no voice upon evils for which he is not directly responsible. Remoteness, either in place or in law, can never separate a true soul from its race; else abuses would never be corrected, evils never abated; for the first and clearest discernment of wrong is usually with those who are the farthest removed from participation in it.

Almost everything, in asking here for the right path, the happy mean, depends upon temper and motive. There is somewhere a definite line between our own and the business of others. To the true heart this boundary will disclose itself. We need not be indifferent to the prosperity or the sufferings of others, nor need we be wholly silent about them. There are occasions when we cannot, dare not be. But let us be sure not to go beyond what a conscientious conviction requires, and that we think, feel, talk, and act only as the pure law of charity and discretion allows. The motives with which we look on the affairs of others cannot be too thoroughly and habitually searched and proved. Our diligence in our own business is sovereign; but most times poisonous abroad, and dangerous and fatal to ourselves and others.'