tablishment a new era of reckoning time was constituted, just as we reckon from the birth of Jesus Christ. Each Olympiad consisted of four years; hence they dated events from the first, second, third, or fourth year of any particular Olympiad. The first Olympiad commenced 776 years before the Christian era. These exercises consisted of five different kinds, viz: boxing, wrestling, leaping, the quoit, and racing. We confine ourselves to the illustration of the latter. The celebration of the running match excited great interest. Hence, the preparation for these festivals was very great. No man could become a candidate for the prize unless he bore a good character, and regularly exercised himself ten months previously, according to the rules prescribed. The rules were very severe: a strict regimen had to be observed-unpalatable food to be eaten -abstinence from all luxuries-exercises were to be continued through all weathers, and we know not what besides. And now the grand day has arrived; the judge is appointed, having been previously sworn to deal impartially-the race-course is cleared the place of starting fixed-the judge takes his seat at the goal, or end of the raceground, and holds in his hand the crown of olive, or of laurel, destined to grace the victor's brow; officers are appointed to keep order. The city is emptied of its inhabitants-all the principal men are there. The candidates make their appearance; every eye is fixed upon them; every heart is in motion. Divested of all needless clothing, sometimes naked, they await the signal;-'tis given-off they start. Not a whisper is heard among all that multitude; with intense interest they watch the runners as they pass along. A shout is heard. The victor returns, like a triumphant conqueror, drawn in a chariot of four, wearing the crown of victory, and is everywhere greeted with the acclamations of the people. Religion is compared to a race; the stadium, or race-ground, is the path of piety leading through this world to the next; the runners are those who profess religion; the officers appointed to keep order, the ministers of the gospel; the spectators, men and angels; the judge, the Lord Jesus Christ; the reward, a crown of righteousness. Let us imagine a company of young persons just commencing the Christian race. They set off together; the directions are given to all, they are four in number: 1. Be sure to lay aside every weight; 2. Relinquish the besetting sin; 3. Exercise patience; 4. Look to Jesus. They go along pretty well for awhile. Soon one is seen lagging behind. What is the matter? He has too much weight about him. Another drops off; his besetting sin has prevailed. A third is missing; what ails him? O, he is out of patience with God, himself, and everybody besides. Some follow the direc tions persevere to the end, and obtain the prize. But mark: of those who run in the Grecian games, one only could receive the prize. In the Christian race, all may run so as to obtain. The judge there was sometimes partial; the Christian's Umpire is the "Righteous Judge." The successful candidate, after all his labors, obtained only a garland of withering flowers; the Christian receives a glorious crown of righteousness that fadeth not away." 66 In God is my salvation and my glory. the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Ps. Ixii 7. SALVATION. Lo! where amid appalling dangers dread, The ship is wreck'd, the storm rolls wildly round, In drowning plight, stunn'd by the wave's rude shock, So when mankind were wreck'd on Eden's shore, With glad surprise, more clear his moral sight, A SHORT time since, and that vessel was sailing calmly and securely over the soft, blue wave. The voice of song arose, and mingled its melodies with the light air around. Home, sweet home, was the theme which gladdened every heart. But ah! thou treacherous sea! Thou deceitful wind! How changed the scene! The voice of song is departed, joy and gladness are no more. Instead of the music of soft symphonies, are heard the clamors of despair, the thunder's mighty roar--old ocean's harsh sounds, and the howling of the storm. The ship is driven fiercely before the gale, sails are rent, one of the masts is gone by the board, ruin steers the illfated ship; she strikes upon a reef, the billows roll over her, the crew are washed overboard. Night thickens around with his stormy horrors; manfully the drowning wretches buffet the waves; the lightning flings its lurid glare around, and shows them their awful condition; again it lightens, and they descry a rock, lifting its head above the billows, and promising a place of safety. Hope revives-they swim for the rock, soon " they make it." See! they have got upon it. Now they are safe! The vessel, sailing joyfully and securely before the gale began, may represent the safe and happy condition of our first parents before they were assailed by the storms of temptation; the drowning mariners denote the deplorable state of mankind since the fall, who are sinking amidst the waves of guilt and wo; the tempest overhead denotes the storm that howls over the head of every sinner, in consequence of the violation of Jehovah's law. Si nai thunders forth its curses, and flashes its lightnings around the sinner's path, in order to show him his weakness, his guilt, and his danger. As the lightning points the drowning sailor to the rock, so the law directs or opens the way to Christ, that the sinner might be justified by faith in the atonement. The rock, rising in the troubled ocean, affording a shelter from the shipwreck, represents Christ, the Rock of Ages, who has borne all the fury of the storm for man, and who, by his cross, giveth life and light to a dying world. The penitent sinner, feeling himself sinking in the mighty waters, and tremblingly alive to the dangers of the tempest above, and to the more fearful dangers of the rolling waves beneath, escapes to the Rock, embraces the cross, and is safe, i. e., he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, and is saved. JESUS, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly, |