giver, and of him whom they style the chief of the apostles, forbids one of their number to exercise the faculties of his humanity given by him who, while he commands the sole worship of the heart, has declared, "It is not good for man to be alone." Gen. ii. 18. And who, again, after taking our nature, shewed his peculiar ratification of this principle, by performing his first miracle at a marriage in Cana of Galilee. W.'s sister could not, I easily perceived, yet fully acquiesce in this infallible decree, of what she was taught to consider an infallible church, for she wept sorely at the thought of their protracted separation. This occurred some months since, and at the time, I thought it a practical characteristic of that system of idolatry, the Romish creed.

Judge, Madam, of my regret, when a friend of their family, informed me a short time since, that she thought there was little doubt but that Emma would eventually join the order of 'Sisters of Mercy:' I said, 'I suppose she is preparing for this step,' and was not much astonished; so marked are the inconsistences every where to be met with in this system of errors at the reply: Oh no, she is quite as gay as when you saw her, but pleasure has few charms for her, she is so good, and I am sure it will end in this.' This afforded me opportunity

for a conversation which, by the blessing of God, may be conveyed to her. May He grant that, before that day arrives, He may in mercy reveal himself to her soul, and make her to understand the true import of the passages: "Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven." "Be not conformed

to this world, but be transformed in the renewing of your mind." "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

E. J. S.

JERUSALEM.

We would earnestly press upon our Christian friends the duty of being urgent in prayer to the Lord for His dear servant, the Hebrew Bishop in Jerusalem, and the rest of the mission. The aspect of affairs there is most awfully interesting: and when we consider the many intimations given of terrible trials awaiting those who shall be converted to the Lord, no less than those who remain rebellious, during the early period of the restoration which is, in the person of the Hebrew Bishop, begun, we shall not need such startling reports as occasionally reach us, to call us to fervent prayer. God forbid that we should sin against Him, by ceasing to pray for His dear servants in Jerusalem! Let us continually implore Him to remove from her the reproach: "Thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee." For ourselves, we would not DARE to ask for a blessing on our country, our church, our family, our own soul, unless we also daily obeyed the call, “Lift up thy voice for the remnant that remain ;" and, in its plain literal meaning, responded to the invitation, "O pray for the peace of Jerusalem!"-EDITOR.

DAVID'S WISH FOR THE WATER OF THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM.

IT is with peculiar interest that we gather up fragments relative to places famous in the history of those whom we admire for endowments, or revere for virtues. A halo seems to be cast around the spot on which the mighty and the honoured have trod. It is a principle in our nature. Whatever links us,' has been said by a distinguished 'writer, with those who are gone, whatever elevates the past or the future above the present, raises us in the scale of civilized beings.' If in merely profane history the tie is strong, if piety may be expected to be kindled amid the ruins of Iona; and patriotism to wax warmer upon the plains of Marathon, how much stronger does the association become respecting the places mentioned in the sacred word of God; especially when connected with the earthly journeyings of Him who took our nature upon him, and died that we might live.

It is with these feelings that we gather up all the fragments relative to Bethlehem in the Old Testament; that we meditate upon its early history, thespot, which, in the world's history was to be so signally honoured. We think of it as the dwelling-place of Boaz, the scene of the beautiful history of Ruth, the retreat of the calm old age of Naomi, the abode of Jesse, and the most interesting of all, the spot

where the ruddy shepherd boy, afterwards the anointed and warlike king of Israel, kept his father's sheep; where, even in following the ewes great with lamb, his imagination was fed with pastoral and rural images, and his soul nourished by intimate communion with his God. Could the secret history of David's heart, the workings of his soul, in "the fields of the wood of Ephratah," be laid open before us, doubtless we should see therein the germs of much which, under the workings of the Spirit of God, was afterwards developed in his exquisite Psalms for the instruction of all who should come after. The Lord prepares his instruments, and trains them as he wills; his dealings are various, for various are the ends for which his people are designed. The life of David was not always peaceful and contemplative, and one incident in his eventful history, which took place at Bethlehem, was in the din and current of the heady fight. It is upon this incident that we would pause for a few minutes, and we would examine it, both as connected with the history of Bethlehem, and the history of David.

The story comes before us incidentally in recounting the histories of David's worthies. It was a time of war: after the crown had been established by the consent of Israel, on the head of the chivalrous warrior; but before his powerful enemies were subdued under him. An army of the Philistines, the nation who had for so long a period been almost masters of the land, were encamped in the valley of Rephaim, and their garrison was in Bethlehem. Three mighty warriors came to assist David against his powerful enemies; men of tried strength and undaunted courage. We know not precisely under what circum

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stances, whether it was under the straitness of a siege, or in the heat of a battle-day, that the wish fell from David's lips, "Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate." We know not the precise circumstances, but who does not see the strong coincidence in the exact topographical knowledge displayed, or rather betrayed, in the sentence which expresses the wish; one of those undesigned coincidences which have been laid hold of, as among the most convincing tests of truth? And who does not feel the delicate hearttouch that connects the scenes of childhood and youth, with the feelings of the matured man; so that the sceptred monarch, in sighing for Bethlehem's water, almost betrays to our eye the sighing of a wearied heart for the peace and repose of his early shepherddays! The wish drops unconsciously, it is probable, and certainly not as a command, but there were those about David's person who, loving him with earnest and loyal affection, considered his slightest wish as a command to be obeyed, even at the peril of life. With a chivalrous daring, scarcely to be surpassed by aught that fable hath told of her favourite heroes, "they brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate,” (how affecting and simple the repetition) "and took it and brought it to David." We may imagine their exulting joy after accomplishing their daring exploit, and the triumph with which they held the vase of water so fearlessly purchased; but we fix our eye, as Israel's host doubtless did, upon Israel's king. It was a moment which tested his character, and therefore one of deep interest. "David would not drink of it, but poured it out unto