necessity, and would admit of no denials. |" demonstration of the Spirit," and that So the following. Reader, listen! At length, with an undivided and strong desire, in all the undissembled earnestness of a life and death necessity-half, hoping, half believing the wretched sinner ventures to cast himself on his knees (before the throne of the Most High, the throne of his offended God; and "Behold, he prayeth!" There is nothing flourishing, nothing fine, nothing finical in his prayer; and nothing formal, nothing superfluous, nothing empty. It is the prayer of wretchedness, the prayer of necessity, prayer in simplicity, prayer in sincerity, prayer in truth, prayer substantially expressed in the language of the leper, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." This is the out-breathing of a soul in earnest about life and health. There is no affected eloquence; but there is eloquence; the eloquence of wretchedness, asking for relief; the eloquence of broken-hearted misery, begging for mercy. Reader, when the Spirit smites, the arrow does not graze the surface merely, and bound off, but it enters, strikes home, pierces to the very heart's core. See! When sin's harm is not discovered, an interest in Christ may be taken for granted; but not when it is. Safety may easily be presumed where no danger is apprehended; but not where it is. When the command. ment comes in in all its exceeding broadness of indiminishable requirement, when the sins of a sinful life, in all their sinfulness, are brought home to the conscience in all the stern reality of the unanswerable convictions of the Holy Ghost, when the immeasurable dimensions of sin, like a large, dark thunder-cloud, are lifted up before the mind's eye, and a solemn sense of its justly-damning guilt seizes on the heart; then, more than the form, the power of godliness will be wanted, Then, common apprehensions, leading to common professions, will not suffice. A's, then, sin is not a thing idly admitted, as though it were harmless, but solemnly confessed as a deadly evil, and producing fear that hath torment; so, then, neither is salvation considered desirable as a matter of course, and, therefore, easily presumable but it becomes the "one thing needful," the one object of desire, the one subject of prayer, absorbing the whole soul. Again, when there is the Spirit's conviction, there can be no resting short of the Spirit's consolation. He that wounds must heal; He that kills must make alive. Where conviction of sin is such as to bring a personal feeling of guilt, confusion, and dismay, there requires a personal conviction of a personal interest in the salvation of God, to afford curative comfort and hope. Nothing short of a faith which arises from the "stands in the power of God," is sufficient spirit of one who consciously loathes himself to curb the power of unbelief in the stricken in his guiltiness, before the throne of the "high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eteruity, whose name is holy." While he reads of salvation, and finds conviction of its truth in general, he will require to be convinced of application of its healing and forgiving power, a personal interest therein, by the personal under the ministry of the Holy Comforter; and the burden of his prayer will be, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." But "the touch!" "Jesus put forth his hand and touched him." Precious touch! It exemplifies a te derness, a pity, and a power, demonstratively Divine. The sympathy of Jesus is salvation. Nothing is too hard for his haud; and, but a touch is enough. He weeps not in a helpless compassion over the helpless in misery, but with a touch commands salvation. He is able to save to the uttermost, the filthiest leper who comes to God by him, -able by a touch. Touched him." Surprising condescension! He" humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!" And he humbled himself to behold, humbled himself to touch, to touch this loathsome leper. "In vaiu might lofty princes try Such condescension to perform." The leprosy was not above his power to remove, nor was the wretched leper beneath his condescension to touch. Herein we have a strong assurance, and an encouraging example of the unsearchable riches of the grace of Christ. What sinner, we triumph while we ask the question, what sinner, therefore, can be so defiled, depraved, and degraded, as to be beneath his condescension in compassion to touch? And what sin, therefore, can have stretched itself into such enormous and immeasurable dimensions, and consequent deep, and ruinous guiltiness, as to be above his power to touch away? This little book is a precious portion to place in the hands of an afflicted soul. It will-it must-be blessed. Luke Harly; or, Almost Persuaded. Religious Tract Society, London. A TRACT, in proof that there are many to all appearance "not far from the kingdom," but nevertheless who have not, in reality, entered in through the little wicket-gate of regeneration. There is an affection of tone, and an earnest ness of appeal to the heart and conscience, which especially commends itself in the labours of the esteemed writer. It is a particularly searching Tract, and well deserving of an extensive circulation. Hard Words made Easy; Mind your "Multum in parvo," might well be adoptStops; Courtenay's Dictionary of Al-ed as a motto for this excellent series of breviations; Blunders in Behaviour pocket prompters. They contain a mass Corrected; How to Detect Adulter- of information, and will prove themselves ation in our Daily Food and Drink. little invaluables to those who have not London: Groombridge and Sons, 5, time to wade through, nor money to purPaternoster Row, and all Booksellers. I chase, more elaborate works. THE ROD OF GOD. How trying the process by which we are brought What care He bestows, and what wisdom and Are seen in his dealings while making us prove, He knows that when all things go smoothly We recline on this wilderness-sod; And therefore he chooses by crosses and woes, To make us pass under the Rod. Oh discipline painful, yet needful that we How often we look on the worldlings around, As we watch them careering 'tis well to be they. And we weep at the throne of our God; And we breathe as we're bending, if thou wilt be near, In all thy chastenings to strengthen and cheer, Ah then we've no wish for a trial withheld, We must surely pass under the Rod. Great Head of the household, since thou hast ordained, That the heirs of the kingdom of God, Should attain it through much tribulation below, Oh teach us sweet kindness and succour to show, When our kindred pass under the Rod. And let us take courage, since all our concerns the tear, But the blessed One smiles, and the murmur is No more have life's conflicts to face or to fear, hush'd, And no more to pass under the Rod. E. L. M. H. The rock followed the Israelites. | AN EPITAPH IN A CRIMEAN BURIAL Every believer has Christ at his back, GROUND.-Almost adjoining is the old following him with strength as he goes, burial ground; and when there the other for every condition and trial.-Gurnall. day, I copied the following from an unFree-will establishes merit: free-grace painted piece of deal wood, about one checks it. The sun is not beholden to foot long, and ten inches broad, which us because we borrow light from it: or was lying on a grave:-" Sacred to the the fountain because we draw water. memory of Frederick Spratt, private, Manton. Royal Marines, late of her Majesty's ship Bellerophon, who departed this life on the April 21st, 1855, at the age of 36 years. Man's rotten righteousness, that he has made such a stir about, is stained, when God rains down his own righteousness. And man's wisdom is stained, as soon as he comes to see it in the light of God's Spirit through his Son.-Hussey. When a pump is dry, a pail of water thrown into it will fetch it again. If your soul is in a dry, cold frame, get a lively Christian to tell you his experience: the fire will probably catch from his heart to your's.-Ryland. AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, SUMMARY OF THE YEAR, AND BALANCE SHEET FOR 1855. TABLE, SHOWING THE CROPPING OF THE AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL FARM, Crops FOR 1855. Quantity of acre. Produce per acre. OBSERVATIONS. 6 tons. Time Extent cultivated. occupied. of planting, 24 tons. Cabbages, 007 A poor Crop-succeeded by another crop of Winter Vetches and Rye. This crop did not turn out as well as I expected. The worst crop we had gave only 1 ton 2 cwt. Worth very little-it was only a trial. Seed very bad. A very good Crop. Very fair Crop. A rood of one field gave a produce of 26 tons per acre. We had to give an acre: and a quarter £10 worth of lime, beside £4 10s. worth of manure and sea-weed. << 'NONE BUT JESUS:" THE PROTESTANT WATCHWORD. SHALL I trust my soul's salvation Save me in my dark despair? "None but Jesus;" "None but Jesus," Hears a contrite sinner's prayer. Do I need a Mediator, Other than the Son of God? Can the Virgin Mary help me? Jesus shed for me his blood: "None but Jesus;" "None but Jesus," Intercedes for me with God. Is there aught of praise or merite Due to works that I have done? Can a life of tears and penance For one single sin atone? "None but Jesus;" "None but Jesus He must save, and He alone. Can the water's outward washing, Inward change of heart supply? Life and energy bestowing, Can it bid corruption die? Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! Send Thy Spirit from on high. W. S. MOORE. Can the Sacramental symbols- Of a sonl born from above? "None but Jesus;" "None but Jesus," Food for fainting souls can prové. Blessed Bible! long has England Hat thy free and glorious light; May she guard thee as a treasure, Prize thee as her sacred right: Save us, Jesus! Save us, Jesus! Keep us still from error's night. Keep us still from Popish folly, Keep us from Tractarian guile, Keep us faithful, watchful, prayerful, Tho' the world may frown or smile: Blessed Jesus! Thou shalt triumph. Though Thy voice is hushed awhile. Should the fire of persecution Lead us to the Martyr's pain; Let the hope of coming glory. Let thy grace our faith sustain : Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus! Quickly come, and come to reign. THE GOSPEL MAGAZINE. "Comfort ye, comfort ye, my People, saith your God." 'Endeavouring to Keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace." "Jesus Christ, the same Yesterday, To-day, and for Ever. Whom to know is Life Eternal." No. 15, NEW SERIES. MARCH 1, 1856. SIXTEEN YEARS AGO! No. 183, OLD SERIES. BELOVED READERS,-We are detained in England most unexpectedly, and contrary to our ardent wishes. Thus we are taught anew that "it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps;" that however the heart of man may devise the way, it is THE LORD (alone) that directeth his steps." May it in after-day appear in reference to this detention, "What we know not now, we shall know hereafter." But, in the lack of time and opportunity for calm thought, and that closet communion which we are wont month after month to enjoy with you, we are forcibly reminded of the long, long period during which the Lord has been pleased thus to indulge us. Nearly sixteen years have rolled round since we first thus met you in the Lord. Every month (with one solitary exception), we have thus, as it were, spoken to each other in His name, and about His gracious acts. In the midst of ten thousand doubts, tremblings, and dismays, you and ourselves have been "holpen with a little help." On, and on, and on, we have been safely, sweetly conducted to the present moment, blessed be His name! We say sweetly, for, after all our hard thoughts of His wisdom, and kindness, and mercy, has it not been a sweet way. However rough and rugged to the flesh, has not the Lord sweetened the way by His smiles-by His presence-by His power? Must we not in the retrospect, exclaim, "He hath led (us) forth by the right way;" and what for? Oh, here is the mercy, for verily the Lord has not done with us yet, "that (we) might go to a city of habitation." Beloved, if the Lord the Spirit condescend to help us, this last thought will furnish us with matter for contemplation at the present moment. Just turn to the 107th Psalm,--an unspeakably precious Psalm it is—and see how sweet its bearing upon the experience of the Lord's living ones. The Psalmist begins with praise, and he grounds that praise upon the personal knowledge of what the Lord is. He had proved Him. Hence he was at a point; and hence he exclaims, "for he is good." Or if the italics—the he is -are omitted, the Psalmist's meaning, and his own personal interest, will appear still plainer, “O give thanks unto the Lord for good;" as much as to say, I have experienced so much of the Lord's goodness—I have been such an eyeand-heart-witness of it-that I cannot but praise Him. He adds, "for his 1 |