Destruction, while the whirlpools of Mammon abound in every part.

Man, shipwrecked by the first transgression, is cast apon this troubled sea, exposed to all its dangers; ignorant and helpless, he is "tossed

stormy billows."

upon life's Wave after wave rolls him onward to destruction; the whirlpool opens wide its mouth to "swallow him whole, as those that go down into the pit." Is all lost? must he become a prey to the devouring elements? pity? no arm to save? "God so loved the world," that the Life-boat is launched; Jesus is in the midst of her; he guides her movements! his disciples form the crew; they encounter the storm that Satan has raised; they spring from wave to wave, from billow to billow,

Ah! is there no eye to
Oh, divine compassion!

"With cries, entreaties, tears, to save,

And snatch them from the gaping grave."

They take sinners from off the waves that are bearing them on to death, and place their feet upon the Rock of Salvation. Some are too proud to accept deliverance; such are left in their sad condition.

To speak without a figure, the Lord Jesus Christ has established his church upon the earth, for the salvation of men. This is the proper business of the Church, even as of the life-boat, to save men; its sacraments, ordinances, and various means of grace, all leading to Christ, the Saviour, are well adapted to do this; and when used aright, they never fail to ensure salvation. Believe, love, obey, "this do and you shall live."

And whereas the usefulness of the "Life-boat" consisted in having her bottom and sides hollow and filled with air, so the usefulness of the Church depends upon her being filled with the Holy Spirit,

with the atmosphere of heaven; and as boats not made air-tight fail to be useful in the storm, and prove the destruction of those who venture in them, in like manner, Churches lacking the atmosphere of heaven, being destitute of the power of the Holy Ghost, fail in being serviceable to the souls of men, and sink into the "dead sea" of forms and ceremonies.

The Church of Christ-that is, a company of true believers-being filled with the Holy Spirit, become inflamed with zeal, and animated with love for perishing sinners. The love of Christ constraineth them, for they thus judge: if Christ died for all, then were all dead-and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again. In seeking to save souls, they seek Christ's honor and glory, by establishing his dominion on the earth; daily the Church influenced thus, makes efforts for the salvation of men; her grand effort is on the Sabbath-day. On this day, worldly business is laid aside; the Angel of Mercy rings her bell around the earth; the Ambassadors of Heaven appear, and issue their proclamation unto the children of men; life and immortality are offered without money and without price; Mercy is active on the earth. Foun tains of living waters are opened in dry places; heaven's gates are thrown wide open, and streams of light and love issue from the King of Glory. Every where sinners, perishing sinners, are affectionately invited to escape from their sins, and take refuge beneath the sanctuary of the Most Holy ;"Wisdom" herself "uttereth her voice in the streets, she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words, saying, how long, ye simple ones, will ye love

simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge." Nevertheless

"Millions are shipwrecked on life's stormy coast,
"With all their charts on board, and powerful aid
"Because their lofty pride disdained to learn
"The instructions of a pilot, and a God."

As we saw in the case of the wreck, that some actually refused to enter the life-boat, so it is with sinners; alas! alas! that it is so; they, too, are intoxicated, "drunken, but not with wine," sin has intoxicated them; they are beside themselves. Some will not yield their heart to God, and be saved, simply because they will not; others do not believe the record God has given of his Son, and continue exposed to the damnation of those "that believe not." Others again, mistrust the motives of the pious, who seek to lead them from the way of death, and think they want only to bring them into bondage; and as the mariners had power to remain on the wreck and be drowned, so the sinner has power to continue in his sins and be damned. Awful power! fearful responsibility! and yet if man be not free, "how shall God judge the world."

The Church, however, as a Spiritual Life-boat, continues her benevolent excursions, and daily lands some saved ones, at the port of glory; and when she shall have made her last trip, through that tempest that shall make a wreck of earth, then shall arise from countless myriads the song of triumph and of praise ;

Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, "Be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, "And unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

4*

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.-Cor. 1, ill. 19. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Matt. x. 25.

OBEDIENCE AND WISDOM.

Here is Self-Will, so called by men below,
Struggling alone his upward path to go;
Though steep and rugged he will persevere;
The way he knows is right, then wherefore fear?
His friends and foes alike pronounce him mad;
His friends are sorry, but his foes are glad;

One pulls him by the skirt to keep him back,
Another runs before to cross his track;
One with a club resolves to stop his course,
And right or wrong, to bring him back by force;
But they are wrong, and wrong the title given,
Self-will on earth-Obedience is in heaven.

Next Folly-nicknamed-here is seen to rise
And climb the path that leads to yonder skies;
Honors and shining gold his pathway cross,
Yet he esteems them but as dung and dross;
Old fashioned things prefers, o'ergrown with rust,
And stars and garters tramples in the dust.
Judging the man by earth's acknowledged rule,
The lookers on denounce him for a fool;
The world is wrong again, the man is right;
His name is Wisdom in the realms of light.

In this picture, on the one hand, is seen a man urging his way up a steep and rugged path; his name is recorded. He is opposed, still he doggedly perseveres; friends and foes alike are astonished at his proceedings. The former are grieved, the latter rejoice at the prospect of his certain ruin. Some of his friends are determined to arrest his progress; one seizes hold of him by the skirt, another, more intent, tries to get ahead of him in order to stop him; a third, yet more violent, pursues him with a bludgeon, and is determined, if fair means fail, to employ force. Nevertheless, he obstinately persists in the path he has chosen; he believes it to be right; he will not give in. They employ threats and promises, but all to no purpose; out of all patience with him, they use up a whole vocabulary of opprobrious epithets. He is self-willed, obstinate, stubborn, etc.; one by one, however, at length they leave him, and go about their business, and the man, no longer molested, goes along the way which to him appears to be right, and which he is determined to follow.

On the other hand, one is seen pressing forward