is spreading, prevailing, triumphing, and everywhere are men giving in their adhesion to his rightful dominion. The latter day dawns, and soon shall its glory burst on the world, and the earth be filled with peace, and love, and joy, and the grand chorus, by innumerable voices, be sung: "Hallelujah! the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever." Newcastle-on-Tyne. L. S.

GEHENNA.

THIS word, which is derived from two Hebrew words signifying the valley of Hinnom, is applied to a valley near Jerusalem, where it was customary, in ancient times, for the Hebrews to offer up children to the god Moloch. It was also called Tophet, from the Hebrew word Toph, which denoted the tympanum or drum, with the noise of which the priests were wont to drown the cries of the children. Nothing is known concerning Hinnom, from whom the valley seems to have derived its name. The valley, or rather ravine, is only about 150 feet in breadth, and is said to have been shaded in ancient times with trees. From the inhuman practices followed there the valley was denounced by Jehovah, Jer. xix. 6-" Therefore, behold the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter." It was polluted by Josiah, who made it a kind of cesspool for the city. After the captivity, the Jews regarded the place with abhorrence, remembering the cruelties of which it had been the scene, and, after the example of Josiah, they threw into it the carcases of animals, the dead bodies of malefactors, and all kinds of refuse. Constant fires were kept up in the valley to consume the filth, which might otherwise have caused a pestilence. Hence it was regarded as a striking type of hell, and Gehenna came to be used to indicate the place of everlasting torment.

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THE WORD AMEN. AMEN, Heb., "Truly, so is it, so let it be." This is a word which is employed at the close of a sentence, or statement, to denote acquiescence in the truth of what is asserted, or in case of prayer the response of the worshipper, indicating his cordial approval of the petitions offered, and his earnest desire that they may be heard and answered. It is also used at the conclusion of a doxology. Rom. ix. 5, "Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever, Amen." It is also used in solemn asseveration, as Amen, amen, I say unto you;" John iii. 3-5. That the people were wont to subjoin their Amen, whether audibly or mentally, to the prayer of the minister, appears plain from 1 Cor. xiv. 16, "Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen, at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?" Justin Martyr is the first of the fathers who speaks of the use of this response on the part of the people. In speaking of the Lord's supper, he says that, at the close of the benediction and prayer, the whole assembly responded Amen. Tertullian, however, alleges that none but the faithful were allowed to join in the response. In the celebration of the Lord's supper especially, each communicator was required, in receiving both the bread and the wine, to utter a loud and hearty Amen, and at the close of the consecration prayer, the whole assembly gave the same audible response. But this practice was discontinued after the sixth century. At the administration of baptism, also, the witnesses and sponsors uttered this response. In the Greek Church it was customary to repeat the response at every clause of the baptismal formula, as well as at the close, thus-" In the name of the Father Amen, in the name of the Son Amen, and of the Holy Ghost Amen, both now and for ever, world without end;" to which the people

struggle, you say, "I will wait a little;" and, flattering yourself that you have not dismissed, but only postponed the subject for a short time, you still withhold your heart from Christ. Are you any nearer a determination than when you commenced this excuse? Will the end of this "little time' ever arrive? No; every day but keeps it at the same distance in the future; and, unless you take a firm position at once, it will never be reached. Satan is cheating you, by this fair pretext, out of your salvation.

DON'T BE ANXIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE.

1. BECAUSE all the future is in God's hands. An infinitely wise and good Being is sovereign over all its events. Not one of them can escape his notice, or elude his control.

2. Because you have no right to put into one day what belongs to another. The future will have its own cares and anxieties-plenty of them, likely-and they will be along in due time. But they have no business among the cares and anxieties of the present time. You must not put them there.

3. Because it is ill treatment of the best advice. Just read the following advice, and think who was the adviser: "Wherefore take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the

day is the evil thereof."

4. Because it implies want of confidence in God. Has he not hitherto dealt well with you? Could you have taken as good care of yourself as he has taken of you? If you can reflect on goodness, can you not anticipate goodness? Has not God laid a noble basis for confidence in all his faithfulness?

5. Because it will needlessly augment present trouble. Are you so well out of trouble that you need some by way of variety? Or would you like more than you now have? Do you wish a new stroke of the lash on a place already sore? All this is a superfluous addition to present troubles.

6. Anxiety about the future can do you no possible good. It cannot better fit you to meet it; but contrariwise. It will not change anything that is appointed to overtake you.

Therefore, all these voices in your ears proclaim to you that it is very poor business to tease and trouble your soul about what the future shall disclose. Do your duty, and trust in God-then, come what will, all will be well.

A POOR MAN'S WISH. I ASKED a student what three things he most wished. He said, "Give me books, health, and quiet, and I care for nothing more."

I asked a miser, and he cried, "Money, money, money!"

I asked a pauper, and he faintly said, "Bread, bread, bread!"

I asked a drunkard, and he loudly called for strong drink.

I asked the multitude around me, and they lifted up a confused cry, in which I heard the words, "Wealth, fame, and pleasure."

I asked a poor man, who had long borne the character of an experienced Christian. He replied, that all his wishes could be met in Christ. He spoke seriously, and I asked him to explain. He said, "I greatly desire these three things: first, that

I may be found in Christ; secondly, that I may be like Christ; thirdly, that I may be with Christ." I have thought much of his answer, and the more I think of it, the wiser it seems.

KEEP FROM "LITTLE SINS." JOHN NEWTON says, Satan seldom comes to Christians with great temptations, or with temptations to commit a great sin. You bring a green log and a candle together, and they are safe neighbours. But bring a few shavings and set them alight, and then bring a few small sticks and let them take fire, and the log be in the midst of them, and you

will soon get rid of your log. And so it is with little sins. You will be startled with the idea of committing a great sin, and so the devil brings a little temptation and leaves you to indulge yourself. "There is no great harm in this;" "no great peril in that;" and so by these chips we are easily lighted up, and at last the great green log is burnt. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.

DURHAM CIRCUIT. THE following letter was published in a separate form as an address to the members of the Durham circuit; but a copy having come into our hands, we thought the facts and prospects furnished were too good to be withheld from our readers, and therefore we give them a place in our Magazine :—

DEAR BRETHREN,-At the Quarterly Meeting, held on Monday, April 2, 1860, in Bethel Chapel, when between forty and fifty representatives of the societies were present, it was resolved that a brief statement of the business of the meeting, and the position of the circuit, should be prepared and circulated, for the information and encouragement of members of the societies throughout our largely-extended and rapidly-multiplying circuit. In compliance with that resolution, the statistics and suggestions which follow are presented for your careful perusal, in the hope that they will stimulate you to still increased devotion, and lead to still nobler results.

The welfare of the Church with which one is connected can never be a matter of secondary consideration or languid interest: "If I forget thee, O Zion," is still the exclamation and the joy of those whose hearts God has touched. You will, therefore, be delighted with the record of facts which show that the Zion of your preference and love is forgotten neither by her own members nor her Great Head. During the Connexional year, which ends at this quarterly meeting, eleven names have been added to the list of preaching-places, and 389 to the num

Christ. But let us see to it how we regard this accession to our ranks. If a vain thought be cherished, or a boastful word be uttered, or a selfcomplacent air be assumed, the good Spirit of God will be dishonoured, and woe betide us if he were to leave us! Increased members bring increased responsibilities, and past successes should stimulate to fresh enterprises. Let us, therefore, "thank God," which is our first duty, and "take courage, which is an apostolic precedent.

The substance of the other business

may be briefly told. The present preachers are invited to remain another year, and a fourth preacher is requested from Conference. The circuit is to be represented at the District Meeting by Messrs. Ferens, T. D. Stephinson, and C. Foster; and at the approaching Conference, to be held at Hanley, by the Superintendent of the Circuit and R. Ferens, Esq.; our excellent friend, Joseph Love, Esq., going as Treasurer of the Chapel Fund. A memorial chapel to Kilham, at Epworth, his birthplace, is being built, and this circuit has promised £20 to the undertaking a sum which it is desirable to raise in small contributions, that the members generally may thus express their high appreciation of the memory and character of their founder. The chapel now being erected at Spennymoor, one to be erected at Nettlesworth, and the Bazaar to be held at the end of summer in Durham (the object of which is to help all parts of the circuit where school or chapel property requires help), are commended to the cordial sympathy and liberal help of our friends generally. Yearly Collection, to which each circuit is required to contribute at the rate of 1s. per member, is recommended to be made in all the classes monthly, that the sum levied may be raised without difficulty. While this is an outline of the business transacted at the Quarterly Meeting, it must be added that the spirit displayed throughout was one of brotherly unity, manly freedom, and holy zeal. All separated from together, imbued with the sentiment of the Psalmist, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

The

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What remains to be done? new converts must be encouraged; places recently opened must be husbanded; and the projects already in hand must be carried to a successful

issue. Above all, the Holy Ghost must be obtained in yet larger measure and richer benediction. This desirable gift is promised to those who pray; but prayer, to be successful, must ascend to God from a pure heart, an earnest spirit, and unwavering faith. Let prayers of this character be offered daily in the privacy of the closet, at the domestic altar, and in the "place where prayer is wont to be made." Members, Leaders, Sunday - school Teachers, Tract Distributors, Local Preachers, increase, rather than relax, your labours; rest not without the assurance-the seal-of God's approval of your work in the salvation of souls. In your families, in business, in the means of grace, be ensamples to all. Dare to confess Christ everywhere; deny him nowhere. Let my esteemed colleagues, the Revs. H. Downes and J. W. Williams, with myself, possess your confidence and share in your daily prayers; and may the Lord, whom we serve, make us faithful stewards, watching for your souls as those who must give account.

I am, yours very affectionately,

J. STOKOE.

FOUNDATION-STONE OF A NEW

CHAPEL.

SPENNYMOOR, DURHAM CIRCUIT. ON Tuesday, April 10th, the foundation-stone of a new chapel, for the use of the Methodist New Connexion, was laid by Joseph Love, Esq., in Oxfordstreet, Spennymoor, in the presence of a crowd of spectators, including many visitors from Willington, Crook, Bitchburn, Bishop Auckland, and Durham. The ceremony was preceded by the singing of a hymn by Montgomery, beginning with the words

"This stone to thee in faith we lay," &c. the reading of the Scriptures, by the Rev. J. W. Williams, and the presentation of prayer, by the Rev. T. Boycott, of North Shields.

The Rev. J. Stokoe then observed, that it was usual, upon occasions like that, to present the gentleman who laid the stone with a silver trowel, but that, in this instance, a deviation from established precedent was decided upon. A silver trowel was never used afterwards, and it was not deemed a very attractive or beautiful article as an ornament. It was, therefore, decided to substitute for it, a silver ink-stand of chaste design, and