Fear not, for I am with thee.-Gen. xxvi. 24. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.-Ps. xxiii. 4.

THE IMPERIAL PASSENGER.

When the great Cæsar, bent on high emprise,
Beheld the winds and waves against him rise,
The sea and skies in wild commotion roll,
To damp the ardor of his mighty soul;

But winds and waves in vain 'gainst him engage,
And waste upon themselves their empty rage;
He nothing fears, he deems himself a God,

And furious tempests but await his nod.
Not so the mariners,-in sore dismay

They dare not venture from the sheltered bay,
To whom the chief their craven souls to cheer,
"Who carries Cæsar, need no danger fear."

Awed into courage, soon they're on the wave,

And all the fury of the ocean brave.

THE above engraving represents Julius Cæsar in & violent storm. He is encouraging the boatmen to pull away. Cæsar and Pompey at this time were about to dispute the empire of the world. The legions of Pompey were at Macedonia. Those of Cæsar lay at Brundusium, on the other side of the river Apsus. Cæsar judging his presence to be absolutely necessary for the safety of his army, determined to cross the river, notwithstanding it was guarded by the ships of Pompey. A furious tempest raged also at the same time. Depending upon his good fortune, he disguised himself, and secured a small fishing boat. His mind occupied with the importance of his mission, thinks not of danger. He has had so many hairbreadth escapes on flood and field, that he deems him. self under the immediate protection of the gods; nay, that he himself possesses the power of controlling fortune. The boatmen think, however, very differently. Though accustomed to danger, they will not put to sea in the present gale. Cæsar thinking all would be lost, assumes a commanding attitude, throws off his disguise, and addressing the pilot, exclaims, Quid times? Cæsarem vehis. "What do you fear? you carry Cæsar." The effect is electrical. Struck by his courageous bearing, the sailors, ashamed of their fears, immediately put to sea with the intrepid chieftain. They exert themselves to the utmost; brave fearlessly the peltings of the storm, and land their noble passenger safely on the other side.

The above instance of profane history may serve

to illustrate the presence of God with his people, and
the confidence they should have in him. The pres-
ence and consequent power of God exists, of course,
We cannot tell where God is not.
every where.
We see him in the embattled host that nightly shines
in the blue vault of heaven; in the queen of night,
as sailing through the sky, she gives to the shadowed
earth a look of kindred affection.-When rosy
morn lifts up the curtain of darkness and gives
to our view the glorious orb of day coming forth from
his chambers, rejoicing as a strong man to run a race;
in the vast mountain, towering to meet the skies; the
immense ocean, rising in the greatness of its strength;
the embowered forest, bending to the breeze; the
deep blush of the verdant mead; the smiles of the
luscious corn, and in the laughing flowers, we see
the power and presence of the Omnipotent. The
thunder proclaims him in the heavens; the woodland
minstrels among the trees; the mountain torrent, and
the rippling brook, bespeak his power; insects sport-
ing in the sun beams, and leviathan in the depths of
the sea, alike show forth his praise. Magnitude
cannot o'erpower him, minuteness escape him, or in-
tricacy bewilder him. He guides and preserves all
by his presence and power.

"The rolling year
Is full of Thee. Forth in the pleasing spring
Thy beauty walks, thy tenderness and love;
Then comes thy glory in the summer months,
With light and heat refulgent. Then thy sun
Shoots full perfection through the swelling year.
Thy bounty shines in autumn unconfined,
And spreads a common feast for all that lives.
In winter, awful Thou! with clouds and storms
Around thee thrown, tempest o'er tempest rolled.
Majestic darkness! on the whirlwind's wing,
Riding sublime. Thou bid'st the world adore,
And humblest nature with thy northern blast."

The presence of God with his people is, however, manifested in a different manner. Nature is managed by subordinate agents; the church by his immediate presence. Natural objects wax old and per. ish, as doth a garment; yea, the elements will melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up; but of the church it is declared, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and of Christ's kingdom, which is the church, it is said, thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion without end. Hence to perpetuate the church, the presence of God has been manifested in a peculiar manner. In the march of the church through the ages of time on toward eternity, how plainly has he shown his powerful presence.

Is the world through sin, covered with a flood of waters, as with a garment ?-God himself superintends the building of an ARK, for the salvation of his infant church. Does famine threaten her with de. struction?-He opens to her wants the granaries of Egypt. Does the sea oppose her when she would go and "sacrifice to the Lord her God?"-He divides for her a passage through the midst thereof, and she goes through dry shod. Does she suffer hunger in the desert?-He unlocks the store-house of heaven

and feeds her with angels' food. Is she thirsty?The very rocks are made to yield streams of living water. By his presence her foes fall before her; Jordan's waves roll backward, and Canaan spreads for her repast its stores of milk and honey. Happy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, who is the sword of thy excellency and the shield of thy help ?"

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Nor has the church been less favored with the divine presence, since Jesus paid in full the price of er redemption, re-modelled his temple, and adorned

the sanctuary with the beauty of holiness. When we see the Savior in the storm, on the sea of Tiberias, chiding the fears of his disciples, and stilling the winds and the waves, we see a type and a promise of his future presence with his people. Emmanuel, "God with us;" this is his name; how full of consolation! with us in his own proper person. The government is still upon his shoulders. "He will not give his glory to another." He does not rule by proxy. He needs no "vicar" on the earth. His real presence is with his people. He is fulfilling his own gracious promise, "lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world."

The fact of being engaged in an important enterprise, and a consciousness that great results will follow a certain course of conduct, nerves up the soul to action, and enables it to do and suffer. When the boatmen knew who it was that said unto them, “Fear not," knowing too that the fate of nations depended upon their conduct, they were inspired with energy and courage, and determined to sink or swim with Cæsar. But behold a greater than Cæsar is here. Jesus, the Almighty conqueror, says to his people, "Fear not, for I am with you." In the furious tempest that sometimes meets them in the path of duty when their hearts quail, and all appears to be lost, His glorious presence shines amid the darkness. "Fear not," he exclaims, "you carry Jesus." church, emboldened at the sight, dismiss their fears, receive a new inspiration, and in the strength of a living faith respond: "Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed out of its place, and the mountains be cast into the depths of the sea, for the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.'

"Fear not, you carry Jesus."

The

Thou desponding