IMPOSSIBLE THINGS.

FIRST, to escape trouble by running away from duty. Jonah made the experiment; but he soon found himself where all his imitators will in the end find themselves. Therefore, manfully meet and overcome the difficulties and trials to which the post assigned you by God's providence exposes you.

Second, to become a Christian of strength and maturity without undergoing severe trials. What fire is to gold, that is affliction to the believer. It burns up the dross and makes the gold shine forth with unalloyed lustre.

Third, to form an independent character except when thrown upon one's own resources. The oak in the middle of the forest, if surrounded on every side by trees that shelter and shade it, runs up tall and sickly; away from its protectors, and the first blast will overturn it. But the same tree, growing in the open field where it is continually beat upon by the tempest, becomes its own protector. So the man who is compelled to rely on his own resources forms an independence of character to which he could not otherwise have attained.

Fourth, to be a growing man and look to your post for influence, instead of bringing influence to your post. Therefore, prefer rather to climb up hill with difficulty, than to roll down with inglorious ease.

"AH, SIR, THAT WORD 'BELIEVE'?"

"I AM no scholar, sir," said an old man to me in a Hampshire workhouse; "I have taught myself the last fifteen years, and now I can read a good bit of the Bible; but I can't make out all the big words, you know, sir. Ah, sir, that word believe!' that is a great word with me-it is everything to me, and as far as I can make out, there is no other way of getting to Jesus. He says, Come unto me,' and I thank God I am very happy in coming to him, by believing that he died for me, and that 'He washed all

my sins away'." And truly as the old man thus spoke, his venerable face brightened up with joy and peace in believing. Have you, dear reader, joy and peace in believing? Are your sins washed away by the blood of Jesus? There is, indeed, salvation in no other; for there is 66 none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts iv. 12). Therefore look to Jesus, dear reader, and be reconciled to God now, for He has made him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Believe it.

UNIVERSALISM IN A NUT-SHELL.

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I HAVE often seen Universalism reduced to an absurdity. But seldom, if ever, has it been better done than in the following, which I beg to recite for the benefit of any who may need it: "I am an Universalist," said G. K., boastingly, "and you orthodox are not fair in saying that our system is inconsistent with reason." This he addressed to one who held an opposite system. "But I will prove the irrationality of your system," said his friend. You believe that Christ died to save all men.' 'Yes, I do." And you don't believe there is a hell?" 66 No I don't." "You don't believe there is any punishment hereafter?" No, I do not; men are punished for their sins in this life." "Well now let us put your 'rational' system together, if we can. It amounts to just this, that Christ the Saviour died to save men from nothing at all! Not from hell, because, according to you there is none. Not from punishment in a future state of being, for he receives his whole punishment in this life. Yours is the absurd spectacle of ropes and life preservers thrown at an immense expense to a man who is on dry land, and in no danger of being drowned! Let me tell you that your religion is stark infidelity. If you heartily believe the Bible you could not believe Universalism."

A BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATION.

"It makes a good deal of difference," said Mr. Moody in the Chicago noon prayer-meeting, "whether you take hold of God or whether God takes hold of you.

My little girl to-day refused to let me take hold of her hand when we were walking together. She thought she could go alone. But when we came to a place that was slippery, she took hold, first of my little finger, and then, as it grew more icy, of my whole hand. As we went on, and it was growing worse, she let go entirely and said, 'Papa, take hold of me.' She knew I was strong, and that she could not fall unless I fell. Now," said he, "I have been slipping, slipping, slipping for the last eleven years, and the reason is, that I have not put my hand into the hand of God. I have been trying to take hold of him, but not asking him to take hold of me. As long as He has hold of my hand I can't fall. He would have to be disenthroned first. If our hands are placed in His, whose throne is in heaven, we never can fall down into hell."

THE PROOF.

SOME years ago, a Frenchman who, like many of his countrymen, had won a high rank among men of science, yet denied that God, who is the author of all science, was crossing the great Sahara in company with an Arab guide. He noticed with a sneer that at certain times his guide, whatever obstacles might arise, put them all aside, and kneeling on the burning sand, called upon his God. Day after day passed, and the Arab never failed; till at last one evening, when he arose from his knees, the philosopher asked him with a contemptuous smile, "How do you know their is a God?" The guide fixed his burning eye on the scoffer a moment in wonder, and then said solemnly, How do I know there is a God? How did I know that a man and his camel passed my hut last night in the darkness? Was it not by the print of his foot in the sand? Even so; and he pointed to the sun whose last rays were fading over the desert, that footprint is not of man?"

child," he answered, "a little girl can pray."

Now, you may be assured that full and loving heart would not be satisfied with simply praying. To pray is a great favour we have; but where we can do more than that, we are bound to do it. So thought Mary. No sooner had the missionary gone than she longed to be up and doing. With her mother's consent she began by going round to all her friends, asking them to put their names on her subscription list of a cent a week, the money to be sent to Mr. L. She met sometimes with coldness and rebukes, but she kept on; and, after many weeks' effort she found a long list of subscribers.

She

She was not yet satisfied. thought what else she could do; and then she began to prepare little fancy things, and when she had made many articles, she went to some of her friends and asked if they would help her in that work. They did, and went at it with a zeal; and on Christmas eve a large table was covered with the results of their industry. The articles prepared were all sold, and there were few happier girls in Switzerland, or in the world than Mary was that night.

Mary wrote a few lines to Mr. Lacroix, and sent the money. Her letter took many months to reach him; and on the following Christmas she received an answer. Judge of Mary's delight when she read that the little girl's money had been used for another little girl, a poor little heathen child, who had been abandoned by her cruel mother, and who had been rescued by the missionary, taken into his family, and who, after the receipt of the little girl's letter, had been baptised Mary."

Now, young readers, I wish you to reflect upon the good such efforts and prayers did - they were blessed to

M. GUIZOT has presided this year, as usual, at the anniversary (the fiftieth) of the Paris Bible Society. In his speech on the occasion, he stated that in the modest French Protestant

another girl thousands of miles away.

THE LITTLE BIBLE BOY.

In a large town in Massachusetts, the people of a neighbourhood, living far from the house of God, seldom attended religious service on the Sabbath. An intelligent lady, grieved to see so many youths growing up without a knowledge of God, proposed to open a Sabbath school there. She succeeded in interesting another member of the church, and together they took their warm, long walk, after the Sabbath service, to the little schoolhouse.

They gathered quite a number, and among them a little boy, from a family so low that its name had become a by-word. He had never attended church or Sabbath school; had never heard the voice of prayer, or the name of God excepting in oaths.

From the first day he listened with earnestness to all that was said; and when presented with a Testament, and requested to commit a number of verses, agreed at once to try. On the succeeding Sabbath he was promptly in his place, and with animated face recited his verses perfectly. Each week he took a longer lesson, until it was surprising to hear the amount of Scripture he could repeat.

The heart of the lady was cheered by the poor boy's interest. As soon as he got home on one Sabbath, he began his studies for the next; he attended to it every day of the week; and says he is going to be a minister when he grows up. One day as he entered, he had run a thorn into his little bare foot, which was swollen and inflamed, but he had walked a mile and a half to be present at his loved Sabbath school.

The finding of one such gem of a boy well rewards the labour of the teacher, which were also blessed to many others.

Church our Bible Society has already distributed 500,000 copies of the Scriptures, at a cost of more than 2,000,000 francs.

BAPTIST TRACT SOCIETY. THE twenty-seventh annual meeting was held on Wednesday evening, April 29th, in the Lower-room at Exeter Hall. A large number of subscribers and friends having taken tea together between five and six o'clock, the public meeting commenced at half-past six, when the room was well-filled, and the deepest interest was taken in the proceedings of the meeting. J. H. Hopkins, Esq., of Birmingham, presided. After singing a hymn, the Rev. J. Chadwick offered prayer for the Divine blessing.

The chairman in his opening remarks compared the Christians of London and elsewhere to a hive of bees, both for number and usefulness, and expressed a hope that there was but a small number of drones among them. In this great city we find every kind of Christian and benevolent institutions; tens of thousands are constantly working for the honour of the Lord Jesus and the temporal and spiritual welfare of our fellow creatures; and it is impossible to calculate the vast amount of good that is thus being accomplished. Every section of the Christian Church is active and more or less useful, and it is pleasing to think that in the great majority of societies, however distinguished from each other, yet all hold the Head, and are chiefly concerned for the glory of their one Lord and Master, even Christ. Union is beautiful, but it must be based on truth. We have in connection with our denomination two distinctive and most important societies-the Bible Translation Society and the Baptist Tract Society. I have read with great interest and pleasure many of the tracts of this society, and rejoice in their distinctive character: I believed them to be capital divinity, and their extensive circulation a great benefit to the community. The Chairman then called upon the secretary to read an extract of the report, from which it appeared that during the year the society had issued thirty-five new tracts, &c., and distri- |

VOL. XXV.-NO. CCXCIV.

buted nearly 700,000. The amount voted in grants of tracts during the year, in addition to votes of money, is £244 4s.; these grants have been forwarded to many localities at home and abroad. About Midsummer, 1867, a depository was opened at No. 3, Bolt Court, Fleet Street; this step being rendered necessary by the increasing business of the society. The treasurer then read the cash account, with various important explanations, from which it appeared that there was a balance in hand at the end of the year of £100 2s. 5d. The first resolution, moved by the Rev. W. Walters, of Newcastle, seconded by the Rev. Joseph Harvey, of Bury, and carried unanimously, was as follows:-"That the report now read be adopted, printed, and circulated under the direction of the committee, and that the brethren whose names will be read constitute the committee and officers for the year next ensuing." In the course of a very animated and interesting address, Mr. Walters observedThe report is a most excellent and stimulating one, and I am delighted to find your treasurer bringing forth fruit in his old age. I also take this opportunity of saying that your collector is received with the most hearty welcome in the north. He has plenty of push in him, without too much brass. He is earnest, yet modest; and courteous to all. I have long felt an interest in this society, though this is the first time I have publicly told my love. Tracts and pamphlets have been and are of great importance in connection with science, politics, and religion. The abolition of the corn laws, of slavery, &c., were largely aided by small tracts, and the disestablishment of the Irish Church, which is now the question of the day, may be materially aided by the same means. I am glad that as a denomination we have a distinctive society for the distribution of tracts, &c., embodying the great and fundamental principles of the gospel and our

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