6 Robert would do so; and Robert persisted in considering himself, as he said, too old for catechizing. For a time their kind friend felt discouraged, and saw no way but to leave them to their chosen course. But that daily pleading which he had engaged to offer on their behalf kept them ever fresh in his remembrance, and was a constant stimulus to his interest in them and his efforts for them. And soon he saw with pain that Robert, the eldest son, was inclined to seek the company of those who acknowledged no restraint from principle or the fear of God. He could not give him up to follow such a course, knowing well that it must end in ruin. Something must be done, and speedily. At length the pastor, though already heavily burdened with the usual duties of his calling, resolved, with the help of God, to undertake the additional labour of a special service for the young men of his congregation. He would conduct a Bible class for them at his own house, making the occasion one of social enjoyment as well as religious instruction. One hour should be given to the latter, and a half hour to the former. So much engaged was he in making this effort successful, that he followed up his proposal from the pulpit by a cordial personal invitation from house to house. His plan met with great favour. Even Robert and Henry thought their minister was taking so much pains to benefit and to please them that they could not refuse their attendance. The Lord soon set his seal upon the labours of his devoted servant. The young men felt the Christian love which prompted such a work for them, and the seed of divine truth fell thus upon softened hearts. A revival of religion of great power and singular purity commenced in that Bible class, and extended through the parish; the three sons for whose souls the pastor had so long prayed being among the first trophies of renewing grace. E. N. H. The talents Thou hast given, if ten or one, I would not wrap them up and lay them by, Gaining as many more as Thou hast given. Forgive the weakness that so clings to dust, Hold Thou my talents, as my time, in trust. While yet a child in stature and in years, When One was nigh whose mission 'twas to save. No more I wonder; in the caverns dark Beneath his feet a hundred faiths had died My time, my talents, and myself to Thee The tide is adverse, and the wind is strong I can but cry to Thee, O Lord, how long Ere I shall see the guiding of thy hand! -Clara B. Heath. T HE New Year quickens thought. It awakens many regrets for the past, and inspires many high aims for the future. It leads often to a new and better life. E. began the year 18- with bitter remorse. She felt, as never before, the guilt of rebellion against God. She had been a rebel all her life, she felt, against a Father's love and a Saviour's mercy. The thought moved her to penitence. The stony heart was softened. The obdurate will was subdued; and but a few days of the New Year had passed before she rejoiced in the hope of forgiveness and reconciliation. The pulses of a new life were beating full of gladness, and it was a mystery to her how her hard heart had so long resisted the Saviour's claim for love and service. She became a new creature' in Christ Jesus. 6 M. began the year 18- in sadness. She had been for more than twenty years troubled about her religious state. Her inward experience attested the truth of the Scripture doctrine of sin and guilt, but it bore no witness to the pardon and peace promised to believers in Jesus. She read her Bible daily. She was regular in her visits to a throne of grace, but the prayer was more formal than offered in love or trust. She loved the courts of the Lord's house, and no church member was more uniform in attendance. She talked often with her pastor, and sought light and help eagerly at meetings for prayer; but twenty years had passed without any consciousness of spiritual healing, or any evidence that she was drawing nearer to a Christian life. It was no wonder, then, that the heart was sad, and despondency crowded out hope. 'I shall never be a Christian,' she sighed; there is no mercy for me.' Suddenly the thought flashed on her, The work of salvation is a finished work. Christ, by his death, has completed it; I can add nothing to it, but must receive it as a gift, by faith.' The scales had fallen, and her sight of the way of salvation was clear. Unutterable peace came into her heart, and she wondered, when the way to Christ was so plain, how she could have walked so long in darkness. The year of her birth into Christ's kingdom was more BEGUN. memorable than the year of her natural birth; for she felt that then only had she begun truly to live. · T. had been for some years a professing Christian. He had done nothing to bring reproach on the Christian name, for his life was without reproach before men. But he felt bitterly he had been little better than a cumberer in the Lord's vineyard. His piety was intermittent, not uniform. Sometimes he enjoyed communion with God in secret; at other times the closet was visited reluctantly, or deserted for days. Sometimes he was stirred by a troubled conscience to take part in meetings of devotion; at other times he excused himself for absence by the plea that the meetings were dull and unedifying. The year 186- found him in a softened frame. The memories of his conversion were warm, and he thought of the course of activity and usefulness his early zeal had marked out for the future. He thought sadly of the years gone irrecoverably, and wasted in spiritual lethargy. Am I never to do better?' he asked himself. Shall I drag on in this wearisome way for life? Why not start anew the present year?' It was a divine impulse moving him, and he yielded to its power. He fell on his knees, and with tears and sobs confessed his unworthy life, and begged for grace to begin with a new spirit. The prayer was heard and the strength was given. He felt a change of heart and will little short of the great change experienced years before. The Christian life was no longer impulsive or intermittent, but calm, strong, and earnest. He loved to pray and he loved to work. His heart was burdened for careless sinners, and he stirred up his fellow-Christians to earnest labours for their salvation; and his heart was filled with an untold peace because some converts dated their first impressions to his prayers and his personal entreaties. The year 186- will never be forgotten by him through the ages of eternity. To many of our readers the year 1869 may be equally memorable as the year of conversion to Christ, or the epoch when a new and more earnest Christian life commenced. M. A REVIVAL T was a time of revival in a village and parish in the country, eight years ago. I had been in the way of holding meetings for prayer, and at these had been led by the hand of Providence, as I thought, to give addresses. One of these was held on a wintry night in the house of an old and frail couple, with whom we frequently met, that they, being deprived of the use of the ordinary means, might hear the word. There were many there, considering the accommodation, and there were anxious ones, as afterwards appeared. In telling the simplicity of a EXPERIENCE. first receiving of Christ, I had said more than once, speaking of what man has to do, It is only looking, and receiving, and loving. At the close of the meeting, a man of respectability in the parish, Alexander- asked me to speak with him. Then, at least among country people, there was a strong tendency to concealment of one's feelings, and only their very strength, as it were, forced to the expressing of them to another. Going along with him a short distance, I bade those who were to go the same road with myself walk slowly, and I said I would overtake then. Saying so, I turned off by another path along with Alexander. Alone is all out of me, to come to me entirely as a free with me, he spoke of his deep feeling of sinful- gift from Christ. I looked, and received, and ness and comfortless state. There was not much loved.' said, but we prayed for light, the snow on the Then,' said I, 'I dare say you are assured ground. Some days after, the first of a series of that you are now a Christian because of this meetings for inquirers was held by the minister wonderful dream.' His look and tone made my of the Free Church. Not having been invited heart smite me for this word of testing, as he to attend, I was not sure that the minister might said, 'Oh, I put no value on the dream, but so not prefer to be without helpers; and I was a far as God made it to me a means of letting me member, too, of another denomination. A strong see the truth.' Encouraged to hold by the word impulse, however, took me to it. I had hardly of truth, he told me afterwards that he had come entered when my friend Alexander whispered in to the village to attend my weekly meeting my ear that he wanted to speak with me when there, but finding he had come on the wrong the meeting was over. Bidding the friends good-night, he went to the other, and the Lord,' he bye who were with me at the close, I joined him | said, 'sent you to it.' A considerable time after, on his way home. His first words were, 'Oh, as he accompanied me home from his own house, your prayer the other night was heard, if ever he said, 'Oh, I am so slow in the learning of prayer was.' Requested to explain, he said, truth. I wonder I did not see sooner what I When I left you I was very miserable. Guilt saw only lately, that peace and believing are pressed on my soul in a manner intolerable. I joined.' It is peace in believing.' A Christian lay all night awake, and must have moaned has peace, continued peace, just as he continues audibly; for once a member of the household believing. I remember I felt I was 'slow' also; knocked at my door, and inquired whether I for the truth that we live on by faith, even as was well enough. I called out I was, not say- we begin to live by it, came home from his ing aught of my illness in soul. Towards morn- words more clearly to myself. ing this was; and some time after I fell into a troubled slumber. As I slept I dreamed. On the mantelpiece I saw in my dream a box, white as alabaster, and very beautiful. My heart sought to it. "Did I have it," I thought, "it would be well with me." The eye of One sitting by was on me as my eye wandered wistfully towards it, and I knew He had it to give me. Reaching my hand out for it, I was drawing it back, feeling it was too much to take, when He said, “Oh, you may take it;" and, with the question on my tongue of delighted surprise, "What! all this?" I awoke. Your words were then in my memory fresh and glow-loving.' ing-"It is only looking, and receiving, and Alexander was not the only one who came loving." I saw from that moment that salvation into the light through that meeting. To ourselves only was this known, for some time at least; and while living in the district I did not publicly refer to it, reckoning the unburdenings of hearts very sacred, and not to be carelessly exposed. Finding some time ago that what I have narrated had become known to some, and not through me, I give it forth thus publicly now, believing that the subject of it, if he reads the narrative, will not be hurt by so reading it; but, giving God the praise, will join with me in prayer, that the simple statement may be blessed to the letting other souls see that it is only looking, and receiving, and THE YOUNG MAN'S AN excellent physician, who cares for the soul | An errand led him to pause on the way, at the door of a neighbour. He stood on the doorstone, with his hand uplifted to knock, when he was arrested by the sound of prayer. His hand fell, and he listened. It was the morning prayer of a good man, pleading for the pardon of sin, for sanctifying grace, and for divine guidance. Every word of that fresh, hearty petition brought an arrow to the young man's heart. He reflected thus: Does this venerable man, whom I have so long revered for his integrity, need the guidance and RESOLVE. forgiving grace of God? What, then, shall I do without God, as I go forth to make my way in the world? The thought held him: it held him with such power, that he could not release himself from it, nor did he for more than a moment wish to do so. As the prayer closed, he lifted his heart to God, and then and there said: My Father, Thou art the guide of my youth !' That covenant he always kept. To secure the grace and favour of God was his supreme aim; and his entire life was visibly ennobled by his resolve. Few, if any, that I have known, could so truly have said, I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.' Perhaps you are still young. What will you do without God? How can you hope to overcome a wicked heart, and resist a wicked world, and baffle the wicked enemy of your soul, if God is not with you? How can you have hope in death, or stand in the judgment, if your Maker is not also your Guide, your Sanctifier, your Saviour? L. T. Words in Season. BIBLE THOUGHTS. BY THE EDITOR. EZEK. XXXIV. 16. OLD Homer calls Agamemnon a shepherd; Plato calls the magistrate a shepherd. Thus even the heathen knew and appreciated the figure of the prophet in this chapter. David was actually a shepherd at first; and afterwards, when he was raised to be king in Israel, he is called by his old name. Christ is again and again declared to be 'Shepherd.' The Psalms are full of this name, so are the prophets. In the New Testament He gets this name. He calls himself Shepherd (John x. 16), and He is called so by the apostles (Heb. xiii. 20). He is the one Shepherd,' the good Shepherd,' 'the great Shepherd,' the chief Shepherd,' the 'Shepherd and Bishop of souls.' This is one of the names which He specially delights in, and by which his grace, and pity, and care, and tenderness, and skill, are declared to us. The sheep are here described by various words and figures. They are all out of the fold-some farther, some not so far; all needing specially the Shepherd's care, and all of them receiving it. Israel, in the first place, is the flock, then men at large. They are thus classified : 1. The lost.-Those who have wandered away, and have become lost to the Shepherd and the fold; lost so that they cannot find their way back again. All we like sheep have gone astray.' Lost is the chief characteristic under which God contemplates the sinner. It includes everything that is sad and evil. With regard to these He says, 'I will seek them.' This is his purpose of grace, unfolding itself from the beginning, but specially exhibited in and by the Son of God when here. "The Son of man came to seek that which was lost.' He speaks of himself as seeking the lost sheep, the lost piece of silver, the lost son. 'Herein is love.' Each day and hour He is carrying on his search. In the midst of earth's noise, and turmoil, and pleasure, and blasphemy, He is ever working, ever seeking. He has compassion on them that are out of the way.' 2. The driven away.—In addition to their natural wandering propensities, they have had those who drove them away,-dogs or wolves; false shepherds; wolves in sheep's clothing. In how many cases is the sinner's lost' condition thus aggravated by being driven away!' He wanders and loses his way; and those who should have sought him, and led him back, drive him farther astray. Unfaithful ministers, inconsistent Christians, foolish or worldly friends, do this; inculcating error, fostering the love of pleasure, warning against 'over-strictness,' setting an evil example, giving false counsel, quenching convictions. To the driven away God speaks, I will bring them again,' -laying hold of them, and laying them on my shoulder, and bringing them home rejoicing. The Shepherd's way of bringing back the driven away we see in Christ's life,-in the blind men, in the woman that was a sinner, in the publicans whom the Pharisees were continually driving away. 3. The broken.-The sheep wander, or are driven far from the fold, till they fall over rocks or stumble on the dark mountains. These are not only lost, but driven away; not only driven away, but broken -as their Shepherd and Surety said regarding himself, All my bones are out of joint.' How many broken sheep are there in these days, when the whole earth is in commotion-turned upside down-and so the sheep are scattered, no man knows where! But the Shepherd interposes. The broken He can deal with as well as the driven away; and for them He undertakes, them He 'binds up. All their bruises He heals; and their bones, which were broken, He makes to rejoice. He is able to bind up the most broken' amongst us all. He is the good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, the chief Shepherd. His office is not merely to feed, but to bind up. He offers his services freely to each one here. Is there some one sorely tried; tempest-tossed, and not comforted; broken by trial, by pain, by dejection, by weariness? Yes, labouring and heavy-laden, burdened, oppressed, sinking under his load, here is the lifter up and the binder up! 4. The sick. These are the farthest gone of all: lost, driven away, broken, and also sick; diseased, and ready to die. Are there not many such? Here is the Healer, the Strengthener. He is able to save to the uttermost.' 'His arm is not shortened that it cannot save.' He stretches it down to the very bottom of the horrible pit and the miry clay, where it lies dying; He plucks it thence, as it is ready to perish. Oh the multitudes of the sick on this sin-sick earth! Here is the Shepherd that can strengthen, and deliver, and save. He is no hireling shepherd, that careth not for the sheep; but the good Shepherd, who giveth his life for them.' Mark (1.) His love.-It is love that leads Him to become a Shepherd, and to act as such; true love, free love, great love; love stronger than death; love to the unloving and the unlovable; love to the lost and perishing; pitying love, tender love; love that fain would save, and weeps when men will not be saved. (2.) His patience.-The Son of man came to seek and to save that which is lost; and in doing so He must have long patience-waiting, waiting, waiting; forbearing and long-suffering; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' (3.) His power.-It is great and manifold; nothing is too great for it. He can take up every case; He can go everywhere; He can overtake every wanderer; He can drive back every enemy; He can pluck the prey from the mighty. He is 'the Lord God Omnipotent.' He is mighty to save.' (4.) Earnestness.-He is no hireling shepherd, that careth not for the sheep. He goes after the wanderers with all earnestness. He leaves the ninety and nine of his unfallen family, his unstrayed flock, to seek the lost. He is thoroughly in earnest. He has always been so; He is so still; He is so to-day. Stray one, He is seeking you with sincere and unquenchable earnestness! M THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD. BY THE LATE REV. JOHN MILNE, PERTH. GAL. I. 4. AN is the slave of the world. Not | free from the power and dominion of the world. the world of outward nature, but a He could say, ‘I have overcome the world.' By confederacy apart from, and op- his cross we become crucified to the world, and posed to God, at the head of which the world to us. Satan appears as the god and prince. It is wholly deceived by Satan, and lieth in him the wicked one. Its course is directed by him, and he is the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.' There are men of the world; things of the world,-riches, honours, pleasures, fashions, customs, ways. But all are evil. The men of the world are all earth's inhabitants, with the exception of God's people. The things of the world, -all that is in the world which is not of the Father, they are the rivals of God. They entangle the heart, and draw it away from God. Friends of the world must be at enmity with God. The way of the world is the broad way. It is called 'this present evil world.' There is a righteous world to come, to which it must give place. God only endures it for the present, till secured the purposes of his grace; then it shall all be burnt up. It is a hard problem to be in the world, yet not to conform to it; to keep apart, unspotted, ever in warfare, yet sure to overcome. Christ is the only deliverer from the world. I suppose there are none but sometimes feel something of the bondage of the world-groan under it; but few realize its power, or the cause of its power. They think they can easily break its bonds; and so they put off, till evil after evil is fastened round them. It is sin that gives the world its power. Sin changed God's feelings to man, and man's to God. Man feared his anger because of sin. But man's heart cannot stand alone; shut out from the fountain, it goes to broken cisterns. His very powers, that would have clung eternally to God, make attachment to the creature more infatuated. But take sin away, reconciliation follows. Christ alone could do this. He gave himself for that purpose. His blood can do it. Crosses, disappointments, growing years will not do it. They may help to cast out one idol, but only to set up another. The bleeding Saviour alone can draw away and set By nature all are in bondage to the world, and need to be delivered. Our tastes, sentiments, pursuits are the same; men of the world our chosen associates. We are in bondage to the things of the world,-gains, pleasures, cares; it is our all in all; it fills our thoughts, our hearts, our hands. If we look forward to happiness, it is earthly; materials are all of dust. The opinion of the world influences us. What will they think and say? Many have more joy in the world's approval than in the covenant of grace, and feel more grief at worldly loss than at God's anger. Are you and God agreed as to the world? He thinks it evil; do you think it good? Poor world-worshippers, what will you do in the day of visitation? Where will you leave your glory? Are any groaning under its bondage? Look to Jesus. Close to Him, you will feel less the power of the world. It dies under his shadow. There are worldly affinities in our partially renewed natures, traitors within as well as without. Those who parley with Satan go as far with the world as they can. The church and the world, too, are now almost blended together. There is no deep line of demarcation. These are times when men will not heed the word, nor come out; let them take care that they be not cast out.' 6 'Love not the world.' 'Be not conformed to this world.' It is faith which brings in the power of eternal things. Look not at the things which are seen. Look at the city which hath foundations. Faith brings in Christ, light, life, strength, righteousness. You must overcome the world, or perish with it. Its power will grow. You will become more and more engrossed by it. The respectable worldly are those most in danger. If you feel no deliverance from the world, then you have no evidence of interest in Christ. Love of Christ shows forgiveness of sin; love of the world, that sin is not forgiven. Forgive |