eternal glory. They cling to earth, but let God, their Saviour, and salvation go; then, 66 What is a man profited, if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul ?" Or, "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Some are doing ill for this world, but well for the world to come. Bereaved like Jacob, afflicted as Job, poor as Lazarus, or like Gaius, with a healthy soul in a sickly body; but "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed." So they "Count their present trials small, For heaven will make amends for all." Some are doing ill for both worlds. Indolent, profligate, intemperate, reckless, they squander their substance, waste their time, ruin their health and reputation, and so plunge themselves into a state of want, misery, and infamy. Reader, how are you acting in this important matter? How ought you to act? If you are wise, and it be practicable, you will desire and endeavour to do well for both worlds; but if not well for this vain, short-lived, and evil world, yet well for that real, blessed, and everlasting world that is to come. But by pride, luxury, neglect, and sin, to AN INTELLIGENT ELEPHANT. "TELL my grandchildren," said the late Right Rev. Daniel Wilson, writing home from India, "that an elephant here had a disease in his eyes. For three days he had been completely blind. His owner, an engineer officer, asked my dear Dr. Webb, if he could do anything to relieve the poor animal. The doctor said he would try nitrate of silver, which was a remedy commonly applied to similar diseases in the human eye. The huge animal was ordered to lie down, and at first, on the application of the remedy, raised a most extraordinary roar at the acute pain which it occasioned. The effect, however, was wonderful. The eye was, in a manner, restored, and the animal could partially see. The next day, when he was brought, and heard the doctor's voice, he laid down of himself, placed his enormous head on one side, curled up his trunk, drew in his breath just like a man about to endure an operation, gave a sigh of relief when it was over, and then, by trunk and gestures, evidently wished to express his gratitude." What sagacity! What a lesson to us of patience! MY TURN. WHEN the Rev. Mr. Hill was returning from Ireland, he found himself much annoyed by the reprobate conduct of the captain and mate, who were sadly given to the scandalous habit of swearing. First the captain swore at the mate, then the mate swore at the captain, then they both swore at the winds. Mr. Hill called to them for "fair play." "Stop, stop," said he, "let us have fair play, gentlemen, it is my turn now." "At what is it your turn ?" asked the captain. "At swearing," replied Mr. Hill. Well, they waited and waited, until their patience was exhausted, and they wished Mr. Hill to make haste and take his turn. He told them, however, that he had a right to take his own time, and swear at his own convenience. The captain replied, with a laugh, "Perhaps you don't mean to take your turn!" "Pardon me, captain," answered Mr. Hill, "I shall do so as soon as I can find the good of doing it." Mr. Hill did not hear another bath on the voyage. A HAPPY MAN. A MINISTER was directed to go to a certain place, where he would find an instructor. When he came to the place, he found a man in ordinary attire, to whom he wished a good morning. "I never had a bad morning," replied the man. "That is very singular. I wish you may always be so fortunate." "I was never unfortunate," said he. hope you will always be as happy," said the divine. "I am never unhappy," said the other. "I wish," said the divine, "that you would explain yourself a little." "That I will cheerfully do," said he. "I "I said that I never had a bad morning; for every morning, even if I am pinched with hunger, I praise God. If it rains, or snows, or hails-whether the weather be serene or tempestuous-I am still thankful to God; and therefore I never have a joyless morning. If I am miserable in outward circumstances, and despised, I still praise God. You wished that I might always be fortunate; but I cannot be unfortunate, because nothing befalls me but according to the will of God; and I believe that His will is always good, in whatever he does or permits to be done. You wished me always Her sufferings then became very severe; she seemed to be fighting with death. Her poor mother, and those who stood by, shed many tears. For some minutes she could not utter a word, but as soon as her pain subsided a little, she said-repeating the words three times, as these Africans always do when they wish to speak very strongly-"Jesus receiveth sinners, sinners, sinners! joy, joy, joy!" That poor little Hottentot manifestly knew Jesus, as "the Way;" and her heart overflowed with joy at the thought that He "receiveth sinners," and casts out none who come to Him. She did not die immediately after this interview with the teacher, but rallied again, and was easier for several hours; during which time she conversed very wisely and kindly with her afflicted mother. Her last words were, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Thus peacefully did this little African go home, to be for ever with the Lord; far wiser than many in this favoured land, who tell us they hope to go to heaven when they die, and yet forget, or will not see, that heaven is the home of the NARROW WAY! Essays. A REVIVAL-WHAT IS IT? BY REV. J. FOREMAN, BERBICE. THIS question may be answered in a few words. It is a great increase of piety and devotedness to God among Christians, and the conversion to God of large numbers of sinners, through the Holy Spirit's influence upon the mind and consciences of men. It is a great increase of piety and devotedness to God among Christians. The word revival implies, that life already exists. Where, then, shall we look for spiritual life, but to Christians? The world is dead. Sinners are dead in trespasses and sins, and their conversion to God is the giving of life, and not the reviving of it. For a revival, then, we look to the church of God, because we shall find spiritual life there. But the word not only implies that life is there, but that it either is, or has been, faint, feeble, ready to die. That sick man will afford us an illustration. Draw near to his sick, apparently dying bed; see what a deadly pallor is on his countenance; death seems already to have marked him for his own. How motionless he lies. It is only by the slightly heaving chest, and the feeble, flickering, yet still beating pulse, that we know life is there. But restoratives are being tried—the physician's skill is being exerted-God's blessing is being sought. And if God blesses the use of the means, what a wonderful change shall we behold. The man will be brought back from the very gates of the grave, health will take the place of sickness, strength succeed to weakness, energy to lassitude, and the man will tell us he feels himself a new man. Are there not many, many Christians, whose spiritual state closely resembles the bodily condition of that man, and who equally need the restoring blessing of the Spirit of God? For example, there is love to Christ in that man's heart; but it is faint and feeble. But let the Spirit of God act upon that man, and his love is increased and roused into active exercise, while he cheerfully follows its constraining influence. There is the fire of religion in that man's soul, but it has long since ceased to warm him, and it is only a little smoke that is visible occasionally, that tells us the fire is not extinct. But let the Holy Spirit breathe upon that man, and the fire bursts forth into a flame and consumes the dross of coldness, worldliness, and sin, which had gathered together there. There is the lamp of truth in that man's mind, but it is long since it was fed or trimmed, and is fast going out. But let the Holy Spirit influence that man, and the lamp is trimmed; it burns with steady radiance, his light shines before men, while they take knowledge of him that he has been with Jesus. There is the leaven of the Gospel within that man, but its influence appears completely neutralized by his love of the world, and the things of the world. But let the Spirit of God descend upon that man, and the leaven re-asserts its power; it begins to influence the thoughts, feelings, temper, and disposition, and bring the whole life of the man more and more into conformity to the mind and will of God. Where these things are seen, there is a revival of religion in those persons, or in that church. A revival consists, I repeat, of a great increase of piety and devotedness to God among Christians; and in the waking up of the church of God to a higher degree of spiritual life. Where this takes place, there will be deep searchings of heart on the part of Christians, because they so little resemble their Saviour. There will be mourning over and confessing sin before God, and there will be earnest, importunate prayer in private and in public. They have been restraining prayer before God; but then, with warmth of heart, with eagerness of soul, with fervent desires, they draw near to the throne of grace. Where a revival takes place, the closet is no longer neglected or forsaken. Christians then seek God. They thirst after the living God. What confessions are made there! What fervent prayers offered there! How with heart and soul they sing,— "Oh, for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame; 66 Return, O holy dove, return, I hate the sins that made thee mourn, Nor do they pray for themselves alone. Go to that chamber-door, and listen how the wife is pleading for her husband. Go yonder, and hear the husband interceding for his wife. Go there, and hear the parents' prayer for their children, that God would grant them the joy of beholding their children walking in the truth. Nor are these prayers offered in a spirit of cold formality, but in the spirit of Jacob, for they, too, exclaim, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." The minister has also a larger share in the prayers of his people than ever. They remember him in his study, and seek God's guidance and blessing upon him in preparing for his public duties. The conversion to God of sinners as the result of his labours, as well as the feeding of the church of God, is more earnestly sought, and the church and the world are alike blessed in answer to their prayers. There, too, is enjoyment in religion. Christians do not at such times imitate those Jews who said of God's service, “What a weariness is it!" but the private duties and public engagements alike afford delight. They feel as David felt when invited to the worship of God. "I was glad when they said unto me," &c. They also become inviters, and say, "Come, let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of Hosts." There, also, is working for Christ. The Christian, then, no longer tries to excuse his own ease in Zion" with "that is the minister's work;" but he feels he has a work to do for God, and he prays, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" He soon finds work to do. To this one he says, "Come with us to the house of God." To others he speaks about the concerns of their immortal souls. He is astonished that with such freedom he can speak to others about religion, but the heart is full of it, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. There is, on the part of Christians generally, an intense earnestness manifested for the prosperity of the church, and the saving of sinners. This, then, is a revival, when there is a great increase of piety and devotedness to God on the part of Christians, when they are aroused to show by a holy life what Christianity is, and labour energetically to spread the Gospel on every side. But the conversion to God of large numbers of sinners also forms a most important feature of a revival of religion. |
