to impart to all who may seek for instruction at their lips, the truth as it is in Jesus? This is an honour and a happiness which angels might covet, and yet it is reserved for all who shall faithfully endeavour to improve in the knowledge and practice of the religion of Christ. Z.

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LIVING FOR ETERNITY. THE Bible tells us to live for eternity. The wise man obeys this Divine teaching, having implicit confidence in God. He views all the things of time in a proper light. Whether he is made rich or poor, he rejoices in his state, because he knows that very soon as the flower of the grass he shall pass away." His life is not that of a gay butterfly, playing in the sunbeams. As the bee lays up honey in his cell for the winter, so he lays up treasure in heaven with Christ. His heart is there. His home is there. He is a pilgrim here, แ a stranger on the earth." He does not say, like the unthinking worldling, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die." With Paul he exclaims, "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." The love of Christ constrains him. Death in his view is not annihilation. It is the gateway to glory. It is the door which opens up to his sight his rich treasures.

Faith that reaches into eternity, and appropriates the promises, is not misplaced. The narrow way leads to joy eternal. You recollect what is said about Moses in the epistle to the Hebrews; how, by faith, he was enabled to look beyond the things of this world, "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the

treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward." The Christian is not without his reward in this life; and if he is permitted to suffer persecution, he ought to rejoice in it, for the promise is, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him." God manifests Hist abundant mercy and love when He permits any one to suffer in this world for His name. "In hope of eternal life," with joy Paul could date his epistles "in bonds," and subscribe himself the "prisoner of Jesus Christ." The grace of Christ overcomes the world. God does not leave His children alone, but is very near to them when they suffer for Him. Missionaries and martyrs are always happy. Those were loud and heartfelt praises which Paul and Silas sang in the dungeon at Philippi. Though their feet were made fast in the stocks they enjoyed sweet communion with God.

The voice of analogy tells us to live for eternity. In the things of this world we look to the future for our rewards. The husbandman must sow his seed if he would reap a harvest. And as it is often true in nature, so in spiritual things we have the promise-"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

Some one well observes that wheat, the most valuable grain, lies longest in the ground. "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days." Fortunes sometimes turn up in a day, but this is the exception, not the rule. Long

ist." The grace the world. God de children alone, bats em when they s ssionaries and mar py. Those were raises which Pal in the dungeon ngh their feet wer stocks they enjo with God.

tells

of analogy nity. In the th e look to the f The husbandr

"HOLD FAST TILL I COME." Ir is related that in one of the battles in the late war with Mexico, a company of brave soldiers were stationed to protect & battery, which was capable of doing great execution upon the enemy. In the course of the conflict, the hottest fight raged around this battery; the Mexicans were determined to take it, and despatched a large force for that purpose, and as their cavalry, the picked men of their army, came down with terrific force upon the little band who held it, they showed some signs of faltering. But loud above the din of battle rang out the clarion voice of their brave general, as he swept nd weepeth, by to attack the enemy at another point, "Stand your ground till I can reinforce you;" and thus encouraged,

if he would rea as it is often t piritual things -"They that

ap in joy.

E

shall deultes joicing, bri im." I observes that r ole grain, lies "Cast th for thou sha ys." Fortunesty a day, but ot the rule L

years of steady industry are generally necessary to acquire wealth. The professional man, who has any wellfounded hope of eminence, has laid his foundation deep and strong by unremitted study.

Is not that Christian wise, then, who lives not for this world, but for eternity? And is not this, indeed, the problem to be solved by every one-to find out how and where he can do the most good, for the longest time, to the greatest number of his fellow-men? Blessed will they be in heaven who, when on earth, "sowed

beside all waters."

S.

SUFFERING WITH CHRIST.-Shall I not be ashamed of the roses around my brow, when I see Him, and all the princes of His kingdom, with the crown of thorns? -Tholuck.

they held fast, and beat back their foes, though almost ten times their number.

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Such is the Christian's position. To his care are committed the batteries of Divine truth; and the great Captain of his salvation has commanded him, "Hold fast till I come." The hosts of sin may rage around him; false doctrine, corrupt practice, the evil propensities of his own heart, and the deep depravities of a sinful world may, each in turn, or altogether, seek to drive him from his position; but high above all the din of conflict is heard the Saviour's voice, sounding out from the heavens, Hold fast till I come." Thus encouraged, shall he falter? Shall he yield, for a moment, to the assaults of the adversary? No; for He who gives the charge bath passed into the heavens, and is no more liable to be delayed in His coming; and when the power of the foe is strongest, and the fight thickest, He will come, and will rout all His foes, and then the glory of this overcoming faith shall be given to those who have remained firm in the conflict-and to them shall be given thrones and dominions; to them, power over the nations; to them, best of all, the Morning Star, Jesus Himself, shall be given as their friend, brother, and counsellor. Hold fast, then, till HE, our glorious leader, shall come. J. P.

A SPEAKER at a Sunday school meeting, trying to show the children what flies were good for, told the following story:

"An infidel, who lived opposite a chapel, was very desirous to attend, that he might hear the organ played. But he did not wish to listen to the Bible, nor hear the prayers. He determined to attend, but concluded to stop both his ears during the services. It so happened, providentially, that during the reading of the Scriptures a fly alighted on his cheek-bone, and stung him severely. He bore the pain as long as he could, but was compelled, finally, to unstop his ear to brush him off. At that moment the minister was reading, 'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!' It made such an impression upon his mind and heart, that he was converted to Christ."

The Christian Intelligencer authenticates the above as a true story, but corrects it in one or two particulars:

"The substance is correct, but not all the details. The officiating preacher was the Rev. Dr. Thomas Haweis, who died in 1820, nearly ninety years old. He was long one of Lady Huntingdon's chaplains, a rousing and successful preacher, and a Christian poet. A number of his hymns are published; among them, 'Dark was the night,' 'From the cross uplifted high,' &c. The man whose ear the fly opened was a coarse, drunken, profane tavern

keeper, living six miles off from the Aldwinkle Church, where Dr. Haweis was rector, and where crowds were in the habit of resorting. His love for music led him to the church, and there God met him in the singular way recounted above. After walking with God for eighteen years, he died, rejoicing in hope, and blessing God for the minister of his conversion."

JOHN CALVIN.

CALVIN was not of large stature; his complexion was pale, and rather brown; even to his last moments his eyes were peculiarly bright, and indicative of his penetrating genius.

He knew nothing of luxury in his outward life, but was fond of the greatest neatness as becoming his thorough simplicity.

His manner of living was SO arranged that he showed himself equally averse to extravagance and parsimony; he took little nourishment-such being the weakness of his stomach, that for many years he contented himself with but one meal a day.

Of sleep he had almost none. His memory was incredible; he immediately recognised, after many years, those whom he had once seen, and when he had been interrupted for several hours in some work about which he was employed, he could immediately resume and continue it without reading again what he had before written.

PE

His judgment was acute and correct about which his advice was asked, and he often seemed to possess the gift of looking into the future. I never remember to have heard that any who followed his counsel went wrong.

He despised fine speaking, and was abrupt in his language, but he wrote admirably, and no theologian of his day expressed himself so clearly, impressively, and accurately IN. as he, and yet he laboured as much rgas any one of his contemporaries, or ear of the fathers.

1st E

For his fluency he was indebted to tr the several studies of his youth, and to the natural acuteness of his genius, which had been still further increased by dictation; so that proper and dignified expressions never failed him, whether he was writing or speaking.

He never in any wise altered the doctrine which he at first adopted,

Of the numerous details connected with the business of his office, he never forgot the most trifling, and this notwithstanding the incredible multitude of his affairs.

but remained true to the last, a thing which can be said of few theologians of his period.

Calvin was one of the greatest and best men that ever lived, and men of the same stamp have entertained the same views of the Gospel. Who for ages suffered the confiscation of property, exile, imprisonment and death, rather than renounce the truth as it is in Jesus? The Waldenses and Huguenots, those noble Calvinists of France. Who besides Luther were the great leaders of the Reformation of the sixteenth century? Melancthon and Zuingle, Calvin, Farel and Vinet, Knox, Cranmer, and Ridley-all Calvinists. Who "alone kindled the precious spark of liberty in England," and gave "the English the whole freedom of their constitution ?" According to Hume, they were the Puritans, those reviled Calvinists. Who elevated Scotland to her high eminence among the nations? Her sturdy

Calvinists. Who bore the most important part in our Revolutionary struggle? Calvinists.

reflection. You abound in extravagant language, and delight in pouring out what another would designate nonsense. The foolish laugh, but men of sense despise you.

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The tongue is called in the Bible an unruly member." My own experience accords perfectly with the statement, and observations on the

tongues of others have satisfied me of the fact. I think the following rules, if carefully followed, will be found of use in taming that which has not yet been perfectly tamed.

RULES FOR USING THE TONGUE.

1. Never use your tongue in speaking anything but truth.-The God of truth, who made the tongue, did not intend it for any other use. It will not work well in falsehood, it will run into such inconsistencies as to detect itself. To use the organ for publishing falsehood, is as congruous as the use of the eye for hearing, or the ear for smelling.

2. Do not use your tongue too much in any way.-It is a kind of waste gate to let off the thoughts as they collect and expand the mind; but if the waste gate is always open, the water will soon run shallow. Many people use their tongues too much. Shut the gate, and let streams of thought flow in till the mind is full, and then you may let off with some effect.

3. Never let the stream of passion or of vanity move the tongue.-Some people, when they are about to put this member in motion, hoist the wrong gate, they let out feeling instead of reason. The tongue then makes a great noise-disturbs the quiet of the neighbours, exhausts the person's strength, but does no good. The whirlwind has ceased, but what is the benefit?

4. Look into the pond, and see if there is water enough to move the wheel to any purpose, before you open the gate; or, plainly, think before you speak.

5. Never put the tongue in motion

while your respondent has his in motion. The two streams will meet, and the re-action will be so great, the words of neither will reach the other, but come back in a blinding sprinkle upon himself.

6. See that your tongue is hung true before you use it.-Some tongues I have observed are so hung, that they sometimes equivocate considerably. Let the owners of such turn the screw of conscience until the tongue move true.

7. Expect that others will use their tongues for what you do yours.-Some claim the privilege of reporting all the news, and charge others not to do so. Your neighbour will not allow you to monopolize the business. If you have anything to be kept secret, keep it yourself. W. K.

NOVEL-READING.

ΤΟ YOUNG READERS OF BOTH SEXES.

FRIENDS! permit a man who has lived more than half a century, and mixed much with society, to speak freely and affectionately to you on a subject of incalculable moment. I have seen among all classes the fatal influence of Novel-reading. It wastes time, it enfeebles the judgment, it stimulates the imagination, it corrupts the affections, it engrosses the whole mind, and unfits the hapless victim for serious study and important business. It is incompatible with the diligent study of the sacred Scriptures; it blunts the spiritual sense, and utterly indisposes the soul for public worship.

The "novel-reading mania" is alarmingly on the increase, notwith