ndearing fellowship with Himself. We discover that while we were nemies He gave His Son to die for us, and though we have slighted fim so long, He still loves us and would rather that we turn to Him nd live. And we find that the love of the Son was as the love of the father, a love even unto death. Can this love be as nothing to us? an we trifle with it, and forget it, and treat it as though it were not ?

hat love, so deep, so real, so Divine, will subdue us, it will melt us into jve, we shall love Him because He first loved us; and the love of hod being shed abroad in our hearts we shall have rest. The Son of God, the Renewer, invites us to Himself. We have been to Christ, and the love of God manifested in Him as changed our enmity into love. And now, loving God, we wish to become like Him. We would be more after His own heart, that we may live in fellowship with Him. We know that God is our Father nd our Friend, we know that He loves us and cares for us, and that nowledge calms and satisfies us. We have the rest which springs om reconciliation to God; we would have the rest which arises from mformity to the Divine character. The more we become like God, le more perfect will be our rest. And Jesus the Renewer invites us. go to Him. As when we shall see Him in His glorious appearing e shall be like Him, so in a measure while we by faith here approach dim in devout meditation and prayer, we are conformed to His image. te breathes His Spirit into us, and that Spirit renews us day by day. le moulds our minds after the fashion of His own. And thus being uickened and made spiritually sensitive we are alive unto God, we can d His presence, can appreciate the high privilege of communion with lim, and we enjoy the peace which the world, with all its resources id power, can neither givé nor take away. As we thus learn of hrist and are renewed by Him, we discover that we do, as He said, find rest to our souls.” The invitation of the text is given to all without restriction. Wherever there is a soul dissatisfied and restless, labouring and heavy aden with sin, a soul that would find rest, to that one the Saviour ITS, " Come unto me,” I will reconcile and renew, and “give you

No longer let us seek rest in our own ways, in doing our own will; t us go to Christ and ask Him to lead us to God, to teach us to walk

His ways and to do His will, that henceforth as we say, “ Truly our llowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ," we lay add, “ And we have found rest to our souls."

If we have learnt of Christ, let us learn of Him still. It is only as e learn of Him that our rest will remain. It is only as we 'learn f Him more and more that our rest will increase. If that mind were A us which is in Christ Jesus, our rest would be even as His.

But while here we must necessarily remain imperfect-imperfect in ur conceptions of God, imperfect in our likeness to God-hence our est must be imperfect. Yet amidst this imperfection there is a thought

which yields us joy, a joy which is unspeakable and full of glory. is a thought, however, which can only give joy to those who are ready reconciled and being renewed. The thought is this,

“There remaineth a rest for the people of God."

“HE TRUSTED ME.”

FOR THE YOUNG. THERE was a placard on a window “ Thank you, my boy," said t in a street of a great city that read, gentleman; “ that's for your tre “Boy wanted,” and a great many ble," and he handed him some lo boys had been in to see about it; change, which the boy refused. but it was only morning, and the “It was no trouble,” he said, a merchant who had caused it to be was turning away. written had not yet come to town. “Stop," said the gentlemi So the boys waited, all hoping to get “have you been in there?" point the situation, and each one expecting to the shop in whose window his would be the great fortune. placard was.

Apart from the rest was a boy * “No, sir; the gentleman, as wa whose face was sad and thoughtful. a boy hasn't come down.” It was a good face, clear and open, “Well, I'm the gentleman. Si but that boy had just served a term | pose you come in with me; I wo in the Bridewell. He had stolen a like to talk with you. Do you w loaf of bread from a baker who em a place to make yourself genera ployed him occasionally to run er useful!” rands--a hard, grasping, avaricious “Yes, sir," said the boy ; " but," man, who had repeatedly charged and then his courage failed. him with dereliction from duty when could not say he had been in jail. he was innocent, and who had no “Come into the office," said t. mercy on him when he was guilty. merchant; and he passed throug

His mother-his poor, toiling, pa- | the long room, with its row of 17 tient mother—the only friend he had portant looking clerks, into a sma ever known, had died while he was apartment where several men we in jail, and now that he was free busy writing. They looked up again with the disgrace clinging to moment, bowed to their employ him, he felt like an alien from hu and, resuming their writing, we manity.

deaf to all other sights and soun While the boys were waiting, the “Sit down,” said the merch bells sounded an alarm of fire, and kindly, “and tell me your name they all scampered off after the en: gine-all but the boy from jail, who “ John Dawson; age fourteen." waited in a sort of dumb expect “And now, John, where did y ancy.

live last?" Presently a gentleman drove up There was a long silencema lo in a carriage and stopped before the struggle in John's breast, when shop door. His horse was restive, answered as calmly as he couldand as he was getting out, he would “In jail.” have fallen, but the boy started for The merchant started as if a pis ward and caught the animal by his had exploded before him For a 1 head, holding him firmly in one ment he was too surprised to spet position.

He was no type of a thief or a rog

this fair, frank-looking boy. There five shillings a week, which will pay is no villainously low forehead, no your board and clothe you if you are und, cropped head, no blear in the economical. Now carry this packhe eyes-yet he was a jail boy. age to the station, and let me see * What were you convicted of?” how quick and punctual you can asked at length.

I be." And John Dawson told him the When John went out with the hole sorrowful story of his sick 'bundle under his arm, he met the other, and his long struggles with other boys, who had returned from int and temptation and sin; how the fire. They were much disaplast he stole the loaf of bread, 'pointed at John's good luck, and one hen they were too poor to buy food, cried out, “ Did you tell him you d fuel, and must have both. had been in jail ?"" And another "Oh, sir,” he went on, “that baker said, “Don't steal that bandle." e such a hard man. He never But John kept bravely on, undismusted me; he accused me of steal- turbed by their taunts. is when I never touched a pin, and “He trusted me,” he said to him. believe he was glad when I did fall; self. “I shall pray every night to

if you will only trust me, I will be kept out of temptation, for if I ver deceive you, sir, or lay my miss this time, I'll never come out nd on anything that is not mine." right again.” Mr. Blake, the merchant, thought For two years John Dawson faithng and deeply. Here was a chance fully served Mr. Blake, and never save a soul from ruin; he might once did he deviate from the straight t succeed, but if the boy had a path of duty. Then he went to mal, and turned out well, how great another house, and after a while bework would be accomplished! He gan business for himself and proshought of his own little son at pered well. ome, surrounded by love and virtue, But he found time always to atad that decided him.

tend the prayer-meetings that were "I will trust you,” he said firmly. weekly held by a religious associaYou will have plenty of chances to tion in the town where he lived. eal even if you are watched, but I Once he told the history of his life, al not watch you. If you deceive and how Mr. Blake saved him from

you ruin your own soul and offend temptation and sin, “because," he our God. You say your mother ended by saying, “he trusted me.” as a Christian; for her sake do Then an elderly man arose, a. ight, and you will find a virtuous | stranger, and with much agitation, te brings its own reward. Dare to said, “I thank God for this hour.

right, dare to be firm in the One soul saved through me lightens: tuse of virtue, and your own con every cross and makes even my ience will approve, and your Father crown grow brighter. He has heaven will smile upon you. Now trusted me, even as I trusted the u can begin, and I will give you boy who had done wrong !"

MAKING PROMISES. How numerous and how blessed are the promises of God! He says the weary and the heavy-laden, “ Come unto me and I will give DU REST ;” to the soul weighed down beneath its load, “ Cast thy urden on the Lord and He shall sustain thee ;” to the hungry,

6 Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, verily thou shalt be fed ;" to the naked, “If God so clothe the g of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" If we are 1 He will make all our bed in our sickness, and, if we can but in 1 draw near and touch the hem of Jesus' garment, we shall be i whole. Oh, tell me one sorrow He has not promised to heal, temptation from which He has not promised to make a way for escape. And yet how heedlessly we pass by all these promises, then make our promises to God, instead of believing His prom which He has made to us. We forget what God has done, and promise the Lord that we will do this, or do that. I question if m of the promises which we make to Him are ever fulfilled; but promises to us have never failed, and never will.

I recall an incident in my own experience. It was on the mor of December 15th, 1862, that I awoke early and rose from my when the thought flashed upon my mind, “Why, it is my birth and I must renew my promises to the Lord, as I have done in y past and gone." But as I thought of it, something seemed to over me which said, “Stop and consider." I did so. I though the past, how many promises I had made to the Lord; how many I had vowed unto Him; and the question forced itself upon “ Have they been kept? Have all those vows and promises been formed ? Has it not been breath spent in vain ? Is there no o way to honour that God who has sustained me these many years ?'

I looked back upon the past. What a scene presented itself to gaze. Broken promises lay before me, unfulfilled vows stared me the face, and my heart was sad. Could I remember a promise 0 vow made on such an occasion, that had been fully kept? Nord Would I make more, to be broken? I considered, and said ini heart, “NO, NEVER.”

Almost in despair, I turned to leave the room without even silent prayer or thanksgiving for past mercies, when my eyes fell u my little book of “ Daily Food," containing a text for every day in year; and I thought, “ Perhaps the verse for to-day may comfort I will stop and see." I opened to that day and read, “The Lord preserve thee from all evil; He shall preserve thy soul; the Lord preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth, and evermore” (Ps. cxxi. 7, 8.)

What light burst upon my vision! What more could I ask was constrained to fall upon my knees and praise the Lord who made all the promises which it was needful should be made, and g them for me to enjoy ; while all I had to do was to believe them, claim them as mine, and praise the Lord for His love to me.

I left my room that morning with a light heart. I do not remer since that time ever stopping to make promises to the Lord. time I formerly spent in that way I now spend in praising the for what He has done for me ; for I read that “ Praise is comely

upright," and “ Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me." And I

if more breath was spent praising the Lord for what He has ly done for us, fewer promises would be made, and fewer promises n; less time occupied in murmuring and groaning and comng over the past; and we should find no time to wander and lide from the Lord who has loved us “with an everlasting love." t some one may say, “I have nothing to praise the Lord for. It een sorrow and disappointment and trial all my days; how can ise the Lord?” Thus thought one poor, sad soul; and when lat she had one thing to praise the Lord for-that she was not 1,--she looked up in her despair, and said, “Sure enough, I am

the grave; I will praise the Lord for that ;” and while she I out her soul in thankfulness for that blessing, other mercies resented themselves before her; and she soon forgot her sadness yed in the Rock and God of her salvation. W many sorrows could be calmed, how many repinings I in silence, how many tears stayed at the fountain-head, and nany souls inspired with love and gratitude, were our hearts rfilled with praise and thanksgiving for past and present mercies he hand of God, and all His blessed promises of grace in days

le

PICKINGS FROM MY PORTFOLIO.

No. VI. DIVINE in the former part of that I might keep a good living that st age was preaching before I was left by my father of one hundred sociation of ministers, and in and fifty or two hundred pounds per to quicken their regard to the annum, which, if I had not entered pal end and motive from which into orders, had been wholly lost cted, pointed them to the last to me and my numerous family.” wful day of judgment; and Christ says to him, “ Stand by ; thou z brought in Christ, the Judge, hast had thy reward.” The question ing His place on the throne, | is put to another, “ And what did in by an elegant prosopopæia | you preach for?” He answered, lented Him as calling for mi “ Lord, I was applauded as a learned s to an account, examining man, and I preached to keep up the chey had preached, and with reputation of an excellent orator and views they had discharged the an ingenious preacher." Christ's of the ministry. “What did ! answer to him, likewise, was, “Stand reach for?” “I preached, Lord, I thou by; thou hast had thy reward."