manna was pointed at by him, when he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" As soon as the children of Israel saw the manna, they cried out, "What is it?" In this lies the secret meaning of it, "What is it?" It is indeed food for the soul; but who can describe what it is? We may gaze on it, and wonder, love, and adore; but to explain what it really is, surpasses the intellect of both angels and men. When the people saw Christ entering into Jerusalem, they cried out, "Who is this?" None can be said to know who Christ is, nor what He is, as to the mystery of His two natures, for "great is the mystery of godliness." The moment Christ reveals Himself in the preciousness of His character to a poor soul, that soul in amazement says, Who is this? What is this? What has God done to me? Is this Christ? Is this grace? Is this love? Is this the eternal life which God has given unto me? "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name!" When did the manna come? Why when the people much wanted it; when they were hungry, and began to despair of having anything to eat. Christ comes to the soul at a needy time; just at the nick of time when the soul says I shall never find Christ, the bread of life; I shall die destitute of Christ and an interest in Him. There is no bread, no manna for me. I am almost in despair, for surely Christ never was intended for me. But let me tell you one thing. The manna was sent to a hungry people; and if you have any hungering after Christ, it is an evidence that Christ was provided for you, and you shall have him as the bread of God. The manna came, we find, when the people were in a rebellious state. "We want bread," said they; 66 we are starving." Looking to Moses and Aaron as though they were gods, they cried out, "Give us bread; we must have bread." Poor hungry souls, under a wrath-working law, sometimes get pensive and fretful: they feel they want much, and can get nothing. Instead of looking to God for the bread of life, they look to His servants as though it was in their power to supply their wants. Yes, the people are discontented, hungry, and thirsty, and poor Moses and Aaron must stand in the place of God and be accountable for everything. They look to the servant before they look to the Master. God sent down the manna in the very face of the people's rebellion; and Christ generally comes when the soul is all confusion, and while fretting and murmuring against God; yea, Christ comes and makes peace in the midst of war, he stills the tempest within, makes a calm, and settles the soul in peace. (To be continued.) THE GOSPEL. LINES WRITTEN AFTER HEARING A SERMON PREACHED IN TRINITY CHAPEL, PLYMOUTH, ON THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, BY THE REV. B. B. WALE. "God's spell-the thrilling lessor. The scholars learn above, Taught in the Holy Bible In simple words of love; The alphabet of heaven And grammar of the skies, The amulet of beauty Blind to its loveliness. "God's spell"-the book of wisdom, GOLDEN FRAGMENTS BROKEN-BUT NOT LOST. BY Ꮇ Ꭱ . ALFRED PEET, OF SHARNBROOK. "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost."-John vi. 12. 1.-WE cannot expect too much from God, nor too little from man. 2. The more grace we have, the more sin we feel; and the more sin is felt, the closer we cleave to Christ, and the more precious is Christ and His grace unto us. 3.--Afflictions are blessings, when we can bless God for afflictions. 4.-The everlasting covenant made between the ever blessed Trinity is full of shalls and wills. It is well ordered in all things and sure. For a man then to throw his ifs and buts against it, is folly in the extreme. 5. Some cannot say much for Christ; yet, through the sufficiency of His grace, they are enabled to do much for Him. 6. He is no man who needs no mending. 7. We may know what God intends for us, by what He hath wrought in us. 8.-I would rather hear an uneducated man preach the truth, than an educated one error. 9.-Better is a little light from God, with much inward and spiritual power, than great knowledge of Gospel doctrines, with a soul unsanctified and a lifeless heart. 10.-Fear God for His power, trust Him for His wisdom, love Him for His goodness, praise Him for His greatness, believe Him for His faithfulness, and adore Him for His holiness. 11.-If thou canst sit at home quiet and contented, when there is an opportunity of going to the house of God, it is a sure mark of a sickly soul, nor will thy Father spare the rod. 12. If the love of God sets us on to work, the God of love will pay us our wages. 13.-Unbelief brings in discontent; but soon as confidence grows strong, and Christ is again enjoyed, contentment takes its place. 14. As whole sinners we need a whole Saviour, and a whole Saviour will have a whole heart. cause. 15. We hated God without a cause, and He loved us without a 16. They that deny themselves for Christ, shall enjoy themselves in Christ. 17.--Christ was the great promise of the Old Testament, the Spirit is the great promise of the New. 18.-Careless walkers are in the general complaining souls. 19. He that is most conscious of his own weakness, will lean most on his blessed Lord. 20. He that gets nearest to the Lord is farthest from the world, Satan, and self. DEAR SIR,-A long time has passed away since I had the pleasure of hearing you preach, and of speaking to you in the vestry at Unicorn Yard Chapel; doubtless you have forgotten me, but I have not forgotten you, nor do I think I ever can, for I trust the precious truths which I have been privileged to hear you preach have been blest to my soul; and I have ever felt a deep and sincere attachment to you for your work's sake, from the first time I heard you when you came into this part of the country many years ago, when I was a child. My object in writing to you now, is to give you a short account of my dear and much beloved mother, whom God, in His infinite wisdom, saw fit to remove from this world of sin and sorrow to be for ever with Himself: her happy spirit winged its way to the mansions before prepared for her early on Wednesday morning, December the 9th, 1863, in the 73rd year of her age. Her name was ANN SMITH. Perhaps you may remember speaking to her when at Sherborne, at the late Mr. Minifie's house. She was called by grace in early life under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Evans, in the Church of England. She had many serious impressions before; and more especially when it pleased God to remove from her her beloved mother. I have heard her tell how many precious promises were brought to her mind when she was cast down, though she did not understand their meaning. These impressions wore away by degrees, and she again joined her companions as before. But God was watching over her, and mercifully prevented her from falling into outward transgression. In this way she continued, until she was led to hear Mr. Evans; then her eyes were opened to see what a sinner she was in the sight of a holy and just God, and to feel her need of a Saviour's cleansing blood. She heard the good clergyman before named as often as opportunity offered and sometimes she was encouraged to hope-at others she was much distressed by reason of what she felt within. In the order of a kind Providence, the late Mr. Warburton went to Yeovil; she with others, went to hear him, and did hear him to the satisfaction of her soul. Mr. W. took for his text, "Fear not, worm Jacob," &c. I have many times heard her tell of the happiness she then enjoyed (though this took place before I was born). But clouds appeared afterwards; she was led to doubt the reality of what she had felt. I have heard her relate the pleasure she experienced in hearing the late Rev. David Denham preach one sermon from these words, "Feed the flock of slaughter." She had a large family-eight in number, and had to wade through a series of afflictions. Affliction has scarcely left my home since I can remember; but God performed His promise, and gave her strength equal to her day, and brought her through them all. For many years she sat under the word preached at Providence Chapel, Sherborne; and it was there that my dear parents heard you, also at Yeovil. I believe that she felt more under the sermons so faithfully preached by you than any other minister, except Mr. W. She never forgot you; and many times did she wish to see you; that, however, she was denied, which I regret. Yourself and Dr. Bell were talked about many times on her dying bed also Mr. S. Cozens, and when the December Number of THE EARTHEN VESSEL appeared, I sat by her bed-side reading it, and I saw the advertisement of Mr. C.'s intended visit to Sherborne at Christmas. I said, "Dear mother, Mr. Cozens is coming to Sherborne." She replied, "I should like to have seen him, but I shall be in heaven before then," and repeated those lines "No more I need the Gospel sounds, My feet have reached the heavenly shore: I know no imperfections there." She said, "My dear Jane, you will have your liberty then to go and hear him; dear Charity (meaning my youngest sister, who has been afflicted more than nine years), won't mind you leaving her on that occasion." I heard Mr. Cozens. I cannot describe my feelings when I entered the chapel, and saw Mr. C. in the pulpit. Memory recalls by-gone days; how many death had snatched from me since Mr. C. had left Sherborne, who heard him there. I looked around, and those words came forcibly to my mind, "The place that knew them, knoweth them no more for ever. In the course of time, my dear parents were led to see believers' baptism to be a right and scriptural ordinance; and my dear father and mother were baptized at Langport. Declining health and infirmities of age prevented them from walking so far to hear the word preached; so they opened their house for the preaching of the ever blessed Gospel. A Church was formed, and the truth was preached for many years; and God has blessed it to the ingathering of many precious souls, some of whom have gone home. My parents met with much opposition; but they were kept steadfast in the truth. In January, 1857, it pleased God to take my dear father to Himself, which was a great trial to us all, especially to my dear mother. His end was peace. ture. I may some day send you an account of his life and deparOf him it may be said, "The memory of the just is blessed." I now come to my mother's last years. In April, 1860, she was seized with a fit, from which she never recovered, unable to attend to her domestic affairs, which obliged me to return home from London. She was afflicted with a combination of deseases, which caused her much suffering; she was often depressed in spirit, fearing how it would be with her at the last; yet those words were truly verified in her, "At evening it shall be light." For some months before her end, her impressions were that she would shortly have to quit this world; and earnest were her entreaties to Almighty God that He would mercifully give her a token of her interest in Christ. She said she would not be deceived for a thousand worlds. She would say, "My only hope is Also another by Charles Wesley, "In age and feebleness extreme, Who shall a sinful worm redeem? O! could I catch one glimpse from thee, She said if the Lord would but speak to her soul with some word of assurance, she should be able to meet death without fear. The Lord graciously answered her cries, Six weeks before her death her breathing became very bad, so much so that she was compelled to sit up in a chair, and it was then for the first time that she informed us that the fear of death was gone. She said, I now I hope "My dear children, I believe I must very shortly leave you; believe that He will give me dying grace for dying moments. you will not grieve for me; but rather rejoice that I am gone to be for ever with the Lord. Those precious promises which were brought to my mind many years ago, are now brought with fresh power and sweetness for my comfort and consolation on my dying bed. I know I must put on those prison garments; I must enter that prison house; but I can say, 'He has tasted death for me, Now in the grave no dread I see.' "He has said to me as He said to the thief, 'Thou shalt be with me in Paradise.' I have been wondering all my life how it would be with me in the end; now I can truly say I am calm, happy, and peaceful. I can truly say to the honour of His name, my last days are my best." I shall not soon forget with what power she repeated that text, "We believe and are sure Thou art that Christ the Son of God." Mr. Bell (son of Dr. Bell) came to see her several times, and she was pleased with his visits. One night she was taken worse, and she repeated that hymn of Newton's, "My soul this curious house of clay," and when she came to the second verse, which begins, Canst thou with faith survey with joy?" &c. she said, "Yes, I can say, I have a heavenly house." She said one evening as I was watching over her, "Tell dear Harry (meaning one of my sister's little boys) that all my mortal powers are failing now. Oh! may my last expiring breath, Little Harry used to sing this hymn to her when down with us for a change of air. She was perfectly conscious the last day she was alive, and able to lie in her bed. In the evening I carried my dear afflicted sister to her bedside to take her farewell of our only parent. She stretched forth her hand to take dear C.'s, and tried to kiss her, but she scarcely could do so, her strength being nearly gone. She said, |