And having done all, to stand. Ephes. vi. 13.

THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER.
The Christian hero here has made his stand,
Obedient to his Captain's great command;
In panoply divine, equipped complete,
No danger dreads, no foe he fears to meet:
Truth wove the girdle that his loins adorn,
This bears him scathless through the battle's storm.
A sense of pardon guards each vital part,

And forms the Breastplate that defends his heart.
For brazen Greaves, obedience he takes,
Through thorny paths, his onward progress makes.
"Hope of Salvation" is his helmet fair;
Though oft perplexed, it saves him from despair.
He wields, and not in vain, a trusty sword,
A right good blade it is, Jehovah's word;
The Spirit's weapon, 'twill each knot untie,
Each foe disarm, and make Apollyon fly:
O'er all the rest he grasps Faith's mighty shield,
And onward rushes to the battle-field.

As soon as one enlists himself as a soldier of Jesus Christ, that moment the world becomes his

enemy. It happens to him as it fell out to the Gibeonites; when they made peace with Joshua, the neighboring nations were highly offended, and said to one another, "Come, let us unite our forces that we may smite Gibeon, for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

But there are other foes more mighty and fearful, against whom he has to contend. Satan, after 6000 years practice in the art of destroying souls, is a powerful opponent. "He goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour," for we wrestle not against flesh and blood-merely-but "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." "Wherefore," on this account, "take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

There are two kinds of armor, offensive and defensive; one to attack the foe, the other to protect ourselves. It is remarkable, that but one weapon is mentioned by the Apostle as belonging to the offensive kind, viz., the sword; all the rest are defensive. Among the Grecian warriors there were at least nine different weapons with which they as sailed their enemies, yet the Apostle thinks that for the Christian this is enough.

The Captain of our salvation has provided us with all that is necessary for the Christian warfare. Is our head exposed to the assaults of the devil, he has furnished us with a "helmet" to guard it; this is called in another place, the hope of Salvation. This good hope prepares the soldier for the warfare, upholds him in it, and brings him off a conqueror. the heart liable to be pierced, there is a breastplate provided to protect it, it is the breastplate of Righte

Is

ousness; this is a consciousness not only of his own sincerity, but also of his favorable acceptance with God. He feels that he is honest in his profession of attachment to the Saviour, and that Christ, his Captain, acknowledges him for a true soldier.

The feet being exposed to injuries, a pair of brass boots are given to protect them. It would not have answered any good purpose to protect the head, oftentimes, unless the feet likewise were provided for. If the feet were wounded, the soldier could not stand to fight the foe, neither could he pursue him if conquered. The greaves simply prompt obedience to the Captain's commands; with this, rough places become as plain, and the crooked as straight.

The girdle is given to keep the rest of the armor in its place, and to strengthen the loins. "Truth" accomplishes this for the Christian soldier. By this he discovers who are his enemies, their mode of attack, and the best way to resist them. A shield also is provided; it is called the shield of faith, by which he is able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. Finally, a sword is put into his hands; with this he is to inflict deadly wounds on all his foes; it is called the Sword of the Spirit, because the word of God was inspired by the Holy Spirit. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed thereto according to thy word ?" By the clear instruction, by the powerful motives and by the glorious encouragement of the word of God, the Christian soldier puts all his foes to flight

Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and fea here be that find it. Matt. vii. 14.

THE STRAIT AND NARROW GATE.
The gate contracted, here is brought to view,
And narrow path that runs directly through.
One there is seen, who strives with all his might
To pass the gate that leads to heavenly light;
Strong drink, the deadly dram, is cast away,
And on his knees, devout, begins to pray.
Self-righteousness to enter next proceeds,
Alas for him! how heavily he treads!
His weary back a monstrous burden bears
Of legal deeds, and unavailing prayers.
He cannot enter, for the gate is small,
He must unload him, or not pass at all.
Dives has fallen, gone quite off the track,
And on the wicket gate has turned his back.
Another, heedless of Jehovah's laws,

Dreams he can enter with the world's applause:
Honor and glory, pomp of things below,
Can never through the straitened passage go.
Thus sinners all-to sensual pleasures given-
Remain excluded from the gate of Heaven.

THE first object presented in the group is, a re

formed drunkard. See! he has thrown away strong drinks; he is determined to agonize—to enter in at the strait gate. Many tipplers seek to gain admission, but it will not do; over the gate is written in characters of living light, 66 No drunkard shall in

herit the kingdom of God."

66

The next figure shows a man professedly in the strait and narrow way, but he has such a large mass, or bundle of self-righteousness on his back, it will be seen at the first glance that it is impossible for him to get through the gate or passage. "All our righteousnesses," which we may bring with us when seeking salvation, are as filthy rags;" and the more we have of them, the more impossible it will be for us to enter the strait gate. Man, in order to be saved, must feel himself to be a sinner; he must feel his poverty, and like the man seen in the engraving, must get down on his knees, in order to enter into the gate of life.

St. Paul, when a Pharisee, had a large load of self-righteousness, but when he became a Christian he discarded it; he desired to be found in Christ, saying, "not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

Partly in the background is one who has fallen from the narrow way. This represents a lover of money; one who has committed "guilts, great blunder," and who is now a laughing-stock for devils. They that will be rich fall into temptations and a snare, which drown men in perdition. O that men were wise! O that they would attend to the words of Christ: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon; verily it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."