DIAMOND CUTTING.

DIAMOND

CUTTING.

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BY MRS. JOHN WOOD.

MSTERDAM is a very fine city; its trees shading the streets, its noble quays, where the shipping of so many nations rests at peace; its wonderful system of drainage which, like the letter Y, pours through one mighty channel, its two arms running, one into the Zuyder and one into the North Sea, thus carrying off the waters which would otherwise inundate Holland. Then its wonderful museum, containing the most celebrated of Rembrandt's works-"The Syndic," "The Watch by Night," and that painting so dear to physiologists, "The Conference of Surgeons over a Post Mortem "-all these, and many other objects of interest make Amsterdam a city to be long remembered by the traveller. But the object to me of the greatest interest in the whole place was the diamond cutting. This trade seems to be wholly in the hands of the Jews, and affords liberal remuneration to a number of people. We were told that some of the girls receive in weekly wages as much as £2 of English money.

The diamond, as first shown to us, was a dirty-looking object, fixed upon a piece of rosin. The rubbing is effected by the dust of other diamonds, and every day the diamond to be rubbed is weighed in the morning and weighed again at night with the dust which has been rubbed off it. As we ascended we found the stones get clearer, and then began the process of making facets, which was continued by means of a wheel worked by a steam engine. Every facet so made added brilliance to the gem, which at last shone with dazzling beauty. In this upper room we were shown models of all the great diamonds which had been cut at Amsterdam. Here was the Koh-i-Noor of England, the Rose of Russia, the great Crown Diamond of France, and many another splendid specimen.

*

The whole process was one which could scarcely fail to give rise to interesting meditations.

First, the rough specimen being polished by its kindred dust. How the angles of one Christian are used to try the faith and patience of another. How rough the process often is by which souls are weaned from the world, and their Christianity brought out; and yet the polishing dust is measured, and no saint is tried more than he is able to

* See page 125.

bear, because the polisher knows his frame, and remembers that at the best he is but dust.

Then, as time goes on, how many graces and gifts are brought out by the file of the polisher, whose object is to increase its beauty and make it more valuable for setting, till at last, when every tiny angle shall have been subjected to the wheel, the gem is declared to be finished, and fit for a Royal crown.

And in those heavenly regions where dwells our King, we shall be permitted to see those stones of great beauty, Koh-i-Noors, like Paul; Rose Diamonds, like John, all making one glorious garland for Him, who is the fairest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely, on whose Head are many crowns.

Blessed be His name, the tiniest spark which we could scarcely see till it was placed on a black background, will be allowed its place; and the babe in years, and the babe in grace, will be permitted to add their tiny brightness to Christ's glorious brow.

OUR BIBLE CLASS.

BY A. ST. G. C. NUGENT.

OD has given us five special emblems of His Spirit; wind, fire, water, oil, and He is also "as a Dove."

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The Holy Spirit is very often compared to wind or breath (Ez. xxxvii. 9; Acts ii. 2). Breath is life (Gen. ii. 7; Psa. civ. 29, 30). Our souls are dead' by nature. When we receive the breath of the Spirit of God upon us we are are "born again" (Jo. iii. 3); we are then quickened" into new life, we are "alive unto God." "Come from the four winds O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live" (Ez. xxxvii. 9). Our Lord tells us that as wind is unseen, but heard, so is the Spirit of God unseen, but His presence may be felt and his sound recognised (Jo. iii. 8; Gen. xli. 38). Wind is mysterious; we cannot understand all the ways of the wind, nor can we know the way of the Spirit of God; yet the wind is in accordance with God's laws, and the Holy Ghost is the "Spirit of God." Wind is one of the greatest forces in nature. When vehement, who can stand unmoved before it? God's Spirit is a mighty power before whom nothing is impossible. He can

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move and subdue the hardest and most resisting heart. Let us search out some examples of this fact.

In the Song of Solomon Christ prays the Holy Spirit to blow upon His garden "that the spices thereof may flow out." The Spirit can make our lives more fragrant, more attractive. "Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south;" as there are different winds so does the Spirit come to us in various ways. "We see that the courses Christ takes, and the means that He uses with His Church may seem contrary; but by a wise ordering all agree in the wholesome issue. A prosperous and an afflicted condition are contrary; a mild and a sharp course may seem to cross one another, yet sweetly they agree in this, that as the Church needeth both, so Christ useth both for the Church's good."

The "north wind" is cold, but is most cleansing and reviving, It is called "scattering" wind, in margin of Job xxxvii. 9. For "when the heavens are clouded, and the light of the sun is hidden behind á curtain of mist and vapour, the bracing and invigorating wind disperses the darkness and gloom" (Prov. xxv. 23; Job xxxvii. 22). "The south wind' in Palestine blows from the Arabian Peninsular, and is necessarily hot (Lu. xii. 55). 'How thy garments are warm when He quieteth the earth by His south wind' (Job xxxvii. 17). Here the south wind is said to calm and soothe. The Spirit not only wounds, but He heals; not only convicts of sin, but of righteousness; not only convicts, but comforts and consoles." If His people need the clouds and refreshing rain, then surely He comes to us as the west wind, which brings rain (Lu. xii. 54; 1 Ki. xviii. 44, 45; Hos. vi. 4).

"Thou winnowest my path." "He will thoroughly purge His floor," for the chaff must be separated from the grain (Ps. cxxxix. 3, marg.; Matt. iii. 12). "It is the Lord's hand which waves the fan which raises the purifying wind. From the best, grandest of all—the mighty, rushing wind of the Holy Ghost, down to the daily winds of circumstances or words (which may prove to be the Holy Spirit Himself in their disguise) all the winds are in His treasuries,' under His control, let out in measured, recognised force." May He teach us in our hearts and lives what His own deep meaning is when He compares His Spirit to "wind."

"MEMORIALS OF FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL."-We are asked to correct a mistake in our notice of this book in last month, about the numbers sold. The hundred thousand mentioned in it includes both editions, instead of only the larger one. The actual numbers sold are 41,000 of the first edition, and 55,000 of the sixpenny edition, though the latter has been out for only a few weeks.

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DAILY BIBLE THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH.

DAILY BIBLE THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH

ON THE UNION NEW TESTAMENT READINGS.

BY HELEN E. VIBART.

"This is My Beloved Son: hear Him."-Mark ix. 7.
MATTHEW I. TO XI.

UNE 10.-Matt. i. 5, 6, 10. Unexpected names in ancestry of Christ. "Lightly esteemed among men," but names of "joy" "praise," and " honour," because linked with the Lord Jesus. Can we 66 show our Father's house?" (Ezra ii. 59). Born of the Spirit, children of God, brethren of the First-born, will our "descent" stand Christ's own test? (Mark iii. 33, 35).

June 11.-Ch. ii. 10. "The exceeding great joy" of all who find Him (John i. 45; 1 Pet. i. 8). Joy that deepens daily, as we rejoice in our Saviour (Luke i. 47). Submit to our King (2 Sam. ix. 6; John xx. 16). Offer Him "gifts," faith, praise, suffering (1 Pet. i. 7; Ps. 1. 23; Phil. i. 29). "Of Thine own have we given Thee."

June 12.-Ch. ii. 13, 14, 20, 21. Notice in Joseph, the swift hearing linked with ready obedience. So like his Lord (Ps. xl. 6, 8; Is. 1. 4, 5; John viii. 28). We must first know the will of God; then seal our knowledge with obedience (Prov. viii. 32; John ii. 5; James i. 22).

June 13.-Ch. iii. 3. Beautiful description of John; only "the voice," but it had the ring of the Master's and it reached souls (John i. 36, 37). Mark the "utterance" in ver. 11, and illustration in John xx. 22. Baptism of the Spirit, is it not the Breath of the Risen One? (Job xxxiii. 4). Let us draw in" that Breath (Ps. cxix. 131; Prayerbook Version), and then "breathe out" that Risen Life (Job xxxii. 18, 20, marg.). Leaning on the Beloved we are quickened by His very breath.

June 14. Ch. iv. 1-12. Independence of God was the temptation presented successfully to the first Adam in Eden. Dependence on His Father was the weapon with which the Second Adam overcame in the wilderness; it characterised all Christ's earthly life (John iii. 34; John v. 19, 30, 43; John viii. 28, 29; Luke xxiii. 46).

June 15.-Ch. iv. 12. The way of the kingdom is the same still 1; the individual call, the personal following, the present service-the work all the Master's. He "saw," He "called," He made them workers. "Rested yet unresting" (Matt. xi. 28-30). "Salt

June 16.-Ch. v. 13, 14. "As He is, so are we in this world."

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of the earth," seasoning in proportion to His savour in us (2 Cor. ii. 14-16; Luke xiv. 34). "Light of the world," only so far as His Light shines through us (Phil. ii. 15, 16; 2 Cor. iv. 6). "That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you."

June 17.-Ch. v. 22. Practical holiness in every-day life, must mark the "children of God." Forgiveness of sins, lies at root of our inner life towards God. Forgiveness of injuries must be manifested in our outer life, towards man (Matt. xviii. 21-35; Eph. iv. 32).

June 18.-Ch. v. 44. A higher standard still-love to enemies enjoined the measure, the Father's love to us (John iii. 16; 1 John iv. 9). Only those can reach it, who are filled with the Spirit of their Father (Rom. viii. 14-16).

June 19.--Ch. vi. 9. Truly called the Lord's Prayer. Our Father's glory, and His will, the key-note to which our lives, like His, must be set, and the "power" in Him alone whose is the Kingdom (2 Cor. xii. 9; 1 Chr. xxix. 11).

June 20.-Ch. vi. 24. Full surrender follows naturally and full blessing (ver. 33). Whole-hearted consecration involves close following, and He undertakes to supply all need (Phil. iv. 19; Ps. xxxiv. 9, 10).

June 21.-Ch. vii. 11. Have we grasped our Father's measure for His good things? the "much more " lavished by an inexhaustible Love, and His sorrowful comment, "Ye have not because ye ask not?" (Rom. viii. 32).

June 22.-Ch. vii. 21. The younger brothers and sisters must resemble the Elder Brother (Ps. xl. 8; Matt. xxvi. 39-42; Mark iii. 34, 35). If the likeness be wanting He will not own us in "that day." "I never knew you."

June 23.—Ch. viii. 6. See the faith at which Jesus marvelled. Faith for another. Faith that told all, and left all to Him who was able to save (John xi. 3). No marvel the answer outran the petition! (ver. 13 ; Eph. iii. 20).

June 24.-Ch. viii. 26.

"There was a great calm." So there always is when He speaks. They marvelled at His power; did He marvel sorrowfully at their unbelief? The tender rebuke implied disappointment. Let us not grieve Him with our "fears" (Luke xxiv. 38, 39; John xiv. 27; Is. xxvi. 3; Phil. iv. 6, 7).

June 25.—Ch. ix. 1. The double physical miracle on the sick of the palsy. Healing and power (ver. 6, 7.) leading up to the higher spiritual miracle, at the receipt of custom (ver. 9). Do we know the perfect healing? (Ps. cx. 3; John x. 10; Acts ii. 32, 33).

June 26.-Ch. ix. 14, 17. Mark the line upon line" teaching of the Master. The babes in Christ fed with "food convenient" (Is. xl. 11; 1 Cor. iii. 2; Mark v. 33); fuller teaching promised (Jchn xvi. 12, 13).

June 27.-Ch. ix. 32, 33. Is our spiritual dumbness conquered ? and do we testify to the glory of our Healer's double name— -Saviour