is the tower of Tewkesbury Abbey." I looked, but could see nothing. "Yes, sir," he said, "it is rather dark for you to see it: I know exactly where it is, and can detect its outline. But I wish, sir," he added, "that a beam of sunshine would strike it, as I have sometimes seen it do on days like this. Then you would see the great square tower, fifteen miles away, springing up, as it were, all clear and plain against the sky; and having once seen it thus, you would have no difficulty in discovering it again." Ah! I thought, it is so in human life. Even in our summer weather, our days of prosperity and gladness, a mist of doubt and darkness often hangs over many of God's dealings with us in the present, and enwraps all our future history. But let the sunshine of God's love, in Jesus Christ our Lord, strike upon our hearts, and in a moment the darkness scatters. Or if the mist still darkens the present, and the cloud of uncertainty still hang over the future, the promises of the Gospel will spring up, fresh and beautiful out of the very midst of the gloom, refuges for our soul in every time of trouble. In the light of God's love, realised and enjoyed by us, dark providences give light, and the heart is filled with a holy joy, a sweet content and hope. Even human love has this revealing power. When I let my heart go out in sympathy and love to any one of my fellow men, how often in the midst of what seemed to be the dead level of stupidity, the dark mist of ignorance or indifference, these open out points of interest and beauty, and I find it a pleasure to think of Him and work for Him. As long as we look out as men and things from the dark surroundings of selfishness, they will seem to us dark and unattractive. As soon as we open our hearts to the love of God, and try to reflect that love on others, all will be changed. Wherever love strikes, new revelations of joy and beauty will break on us; beneath its beams all things will seem new. At When the train in which we travel is passing slowly out of a station, another train flies past us, moving in the opposite direction. As it draws near it sounds the whistle, and continues sounding it for some time after it has passed us. first the pitch is low, and the sound is dull and distant-seeming; the pitch rises rapidly and the noise intensifies as it draws near, until it seems to flood us, to overwhelm us with waves of piercing sound; and then, as quickly, it grows lower and duller, until it stops or dies away in the far distance. It is another picture of life. In youth. we hear the great world, with its noise and hurry, approaching us from the distance; the excitement rises as we come closer to it, our hearts are intoxicated with hope. In manhood we are immersed in its bustle, its confusion, its roar of warfare and of work. It occupies all our thoughts; we forget to ask, whence we have come, whither we are going, wherefore we are here at all; we have no time, as we imagine, to look out and make sure in what train we are travelling. But as strength begins to fail us, the sound and the excitement fade away, and in old age we find ourselves in silence and alone. What we want is grace from heaven that we may pass through the busiest scenes of life in calm of heart, ever hearing the voice of Christ and following Him. Then, when health and business and pleasure are fading from our view, we shall not be lonely, nor sad. The music of Heaven will abide with us and be heard by us continually. The hymn of praise shall rise from our hearts, testifying to our Saviour's love and grace. And at last the voice of faith and prayer and earthly praise shall merge into the new song of the upper sanctuary-"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood-to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." For the Young. CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY. ANY of you, dear children, know I tree stands, and the name of the donor is not supthat the custom of having posed to be known. Little white mice, hanging by Christmas-trees, in which you their tails (made of sugar of course), appeared so much delight, came originally amongst silvered walnuts and gilded apples, whilst from Germany. Perhaps you green, white, blue, and yellow tapers strove to would like to hear how Christ- keep the perpendicular on the fragile stems to mas is kept in the "Father- which they were fastened by their own melted land," and having seen this for wax. In the midst of our preparations we were myself, I will tell you a little summoned to see a school of 750 poor boys and about it. We were staying at girls, whose hearts were also to be gladdened by a Minden, in Westphalia, a strongly fortified town, tree. These celebrations in Germany are conwhere 8,000 prisoners were confined during the sidered in the light of a religious festival, and on war which took place many years ago between France and Prussia. War is always a dreadful thing, and we heard many stories when we were there, of how the people who stayed. at home suffered from being obliged to take into their houses the rough Prussian soldiers, and to cook for them several times a day. Every one was glad when peace was restored. But to return to our subject. Early on the Saturday before Christmas-day we went into the market to buy our tree. It was a curious sight. The market seemed made of Christmas-trees! Some were tall, and some were short, some pointed straight up to heaven as all good Christmas-trees ought to do, and others were a little one-sided; some were cheap, and some were dear. The country people were quite a picture. Many of the women had white handkerchiefs wound around their heads; others had little black hoods and large cloaks with many frills; others wore scarlet gowns, blue aprons, and very large white collars beautifully worked. The men had long white coats edged with red, and the little boys and girls on Sundays, as we afterwards found, were dressed like men and women! When we had chosen our tree, we bought our sweetmeats to hang on it, for it is not the fashion in Germany to put anything except what we sometimes call "nicnacs on the slender branches; the presents are arranged round the table on which the this occasion the good pastor who presided, after offering prayer, gave a very clear and practical address to the children, who appeared to listen patiently, though no doubt some of their thoughts, like birds, had flown off to the Christmas-tree. Afterwards several little ones repeated passages of Scripture describing the birth of the infant Saviour, and the older and younger joined in singing some sweet hymns. At last all the prelude was over, and the tree, in its glory, was the object of attention. The gifts provided for the expectant children were, however, of quite too solid a character to be entrusted to its branches. The older scholars were marshalled up into a room by themselves, and were told to be seated, just as if they were learning their morning's lesson. Long rolls of bread, about the form and size of an ordinary rolling-pin, embellished with here and there an obtruding raisin, were then dexterously hurled to each in turn, to be caught by the outstretched arms of the recipients, whilst many a head was ducked in a moment to avoid too hard a rap from the "staff of life!" A copybook and writing materials followed in the same fashion, and the very poorest received an article of clothing. On Christmas morning we rose between four and five, and went to the large Protestant church, where two tall fir-trees, brilliantly lighted up, faced the congregation. A very picturesque company had assembled, for, of course, the holiday dresses had been donned, and as red figures largely in the trimmings of the men's coats, as well as in the attire of the women, they cannot be said to present a very "quiet" appearance. Most quiet, however, was their behaviour, though the church was so crowded that there was not sitting room for all. The preacher, an earnest young man, seemed fired with his subject, and explained to his audience that the evergreen tree was intended to symbolize Christ, the "plant of renown," who ever lived and dispensed His gifts on all sides. Part of Isaiah, 11th chapter, was read, and the "Child Jesus" was made the theme of the discourse. The mothers were asked to dedicate their children that day as a thank-offering to Him, that it might be a day of rejoicing all round. careful search, a note for ten thalers, equalling thirty shillings. So we all agreed in declaring that the "yule-klapp" was a very welcome addition to the Christmas-tree. In the evening a large family-party, including several newly-married couples, joined in the festivity, their voices rising in sweet and joyous harmony as they sang the popular "Tannenbaum," which Longfellow has, with some alteration from the original, translated into our own tongue. Then a circle was formed to dance around the most elevated taper and blow it out. The next evening a party of young children assembled to divide the fruit of the tree, and they made the room resound with their pretty German games, generally interwoven with song, for singing seems universal in Germany. Thus our "Tannen It was concluded to postpone the lighting of our own family tree till the next day, for, as the cele-baum" served various purposes. The proper thing bration often continues for three days or more, the is, where people keep strictly to old customs, to special time for lighting up is of less importance. light it first on Christmas-eve, then early on It certainly did seem rather strange to light the Christmas morning, and finally on New Year's tapers in the darkness of the early morning in- day. It is the one bright season of the year in stead of in the twilight or evening hour; but, which rich and poor alike rejoice, for contributions nevertheless, as it did not look so to others, we are made to enable even the poorest to have their were content. And now, in our honour as strangers, Christmas-tree and little accompanying presents. a Pomeranian custom was introduced. As we were There is something "heartsome" in this; it seems intent on admiring the tree and examining the to bring home the thought that the "good tidings tasty presents on the table, the door opened, and of great joy" which the angels announced to the suddenly, from over the top of it, came flying at shepherds on Bethlehem plains were indeed "for our feet sundry parcels, as if they had rained from all people." May we, too, try to make Christmas the skies. This was called a "yule-klapp." A a happy time to those who have poor and sorrowbulky packet of unknown contents would roll ful homes. That dear Saviour, whom the day down, addressed to some fortunate maiden who commemorates, "went about doing good," and He would congratulate herself on being the possessor has told us "it is more blessed to give than to of at least a large gift, when, after unrolling cover receive." Let us, then, with our actions, as well after cover, the final wrapper would disclose a tiny as words, join in the angelic anthem, "Glory to basket or delicate scent-bottle. A long wooden God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill box, which apparently contained nothing but towards men." stones and broken pieces of pottery, revealed, after MARY E. BECK. WAS accustomed," said Luther, "with some by masters towards their scholars, so that we were companions, to beg food to supply our wants. seized with sudden fright. At last, as this good One day when at Magdeburg, about Christ- peasant continued to call out after us, we stopped, mas time, we were all going through the saw that he had food in his hand, forgot our fears, neighbouring villages, from house to house, singing ran to him, and thankfully received what he offered. the usual carols on the infant Jesus at Bethlehem. It is thus," adds Luther, " that we tremble and flee We stopped in front of a peasant's house which when conscience is guilty, and when fear fills us stood detached from the rest at the extremity of with alarm; we are then afraid even of the help the village. The peasant, hearing us sing our that is offered us, and of those who are our friends, Christmas carols, came out with some food, which and wish to do us good." Many years after Luther he meant to give us, and, having a loud rough said to those of his countrymen who were in good voice, he called out, "Where are you, boys?” circumstances, "Do not despise the poor scholars Terrified at these words, we ran away as fast as we who try to earn their bread by chanting before could. We had no reason to fear, for the peasant your door, asking panem propter Deum (bread for came out in kindness to give us this assistance; the love of God)! I have done the same."-From but our hearts were, no doubt, fearful and untrust-Luther Anecdotes,' by Dr. Macaulay. ing from the threats and ill-treatment then used 66 A BIBLE READING. WHATSOEVER. NE word of Holy Scripture | command thee, thou shalt speak." We is often like condensed may be sure that when God sends a food, containing in itself message through his weak people, He a world of thought." will be to them "tongue and utterance." Such is the case with the Turning now to the New Testament, it is word before us. The interesting to notice how it becomes the first time it occurs is a fulfilment of the Old. The second comkeynote for the direc- mandment of the Decalogue is amplified tion of our whole lives, into the "golden rule of our Lord, "Whatsoever God hath "Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them."1 said unto thee, do." 1 Moses, the great lawgiver, speaking in his parting address to the people in the name of the Lord, repeats almost the same words, "What things soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it," 2 teaching us that we must consider nothing insignificant or trivial which the Lord has commanded. How often the neglect of some smaller duty, as we may consider it, has led to failure in the greater, while "he that is faithful in the little is faithful also in more." Solomon, in his all-embracing prayer at the dedication of the temple, asks the Lord to hear "what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man which shall know the plague of his own heart." 3 And to this prayer we, in Gospel days, receive the consoling answer, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."4 And again, "He is the propitiation for our sins." The Lord will take no exception to His "whatsoever." When the prophet Jeremiah shrank from delivering his message, it was said to him, "Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I 1 Genesis xxxi. 16. 2 Deut. xii. 32. 3 1 Kings viii. 38, 39. 4 1 John i, 9. 1 John ii. 2. How The promises of God often demand on our part confidence in the faithfulness of the Promiser. "He is faithful that promised." Thus, when the master of the vineyard says to his labourers, "Whatsoever is right I will give you," he relies on their knowledge of his character. " They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee." His own children would no more make conditions with Him than a child would make conditions with a loving and wise father. unlimited is the carte-blanche given by the Lord Jesus to His children, “ Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, I will do it." But we must not forget that to ask in Christ's name implies to ask in His spirit of childlike submission to His Father's will. There are several other precious truths in connection with the word "whatsoever," but space forbide that they should be quoted in full. The references only shall be given, in the hope that each one may be carefully sought out. Scripture Exercises. ANSWER TO No. XI., p. 220. MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN (Dan. v. 1. M anoah. 2. E tam. 3. N ebat. 25-28). 4. E bed-melech. 5. T ola. 6. E d. 7. K ish. 8. E pænetus. 10. U phaz. Judges xiii. 9. Jer. x. 9. No. XII. 1. The father of a prophet who foretold evil to Ahab. 2. What city did Solomon build in the wilderness? 3. To what people was Joseph sold? 4. The first martyr. 5. The husband of Drusilla. 6. From what country did Aquila come? 7. Whose vineyard did Ahab covet? 8. One of Aaron's sons who did not offer strange fire? 9. The captain of Jabin's host. 10. Whom did Moses invite to go with him and he would "do him good"? 11. Where did Saul consult the witch? 12. On what plain did Nebuchadnezzar set up his great image? Three words spoken by our Saviour on the cross. |