departed to the eternal world in the faith and hope of the gospel of Christ. But who can read this narrative and not feel the touching force of those words-“ Oh, that look!" It was but a look. Not a sentence was uttered, nor a word spoken; no feeling of resentment dwelt in that bosom; no expression of upbraiding gleamed in that eye. It was but a look! But, "Oh, that look!" How meek its glance, how tender its expression, how forgiving its language. It was as a sword penetrating to the depth of the soul, so exquisitely piercing is the look of love. Such, too, was the look which Jesus bent upon His faithless apostle-" And the Lord looked upon Peter." And that look, which no painter has ever been able to imitate, dissolved his heart: "And he went out and wept bitterly." And such is the look of pardoning love with which Jesus is prepared to welcome every poor wanderer returning to Him in humiliation, and in penitence, and in faith. Christian reader, you may know something in your experience of the "offence of the cross." You may be called to endure shame and obloquy, insult and loss for Christ. But learn instruction from this incident. Meet every such assault with meek endurance, with patient suffering, and with kind forgiveness. "Overcome evil with good." Your adorable Lord and Master endured for you the greatest indignity and insult. He was spit upon, the hair was plucked off from His face, He was scourged, mocked, derided, and

was slain.

And yet, "He went as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth." "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” You may be derided, insulted, and persecuted for the name of Christ, nevertheless, a look of meekness, a glance of love may disarm the scoffer, and lay him low at the feet of Jesus. Oh, that prayer of Christ's-"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"

Major M was what the world would style a good-hearted, noble-minded man. Elegant in Elegant in appearance, generous in disposition, chivalrous in spirit, and distinguished in the service, he was an especial favourite with his brother officers. "But he was a leper." In other words, he was an unregenerate man. His heart was hostile to every feeling and sentiment of true, evangelical religion. Although the brother of an eminently godly minister of the Church of England, who frequently and faithfully addressed him on the all-important subject of his soul's salvation, his carnal mind still remained in deep and determined enmity against God, pronouncing it "fanaticism in his brother which induced him to annoy him with his cant!" But we often find that Providence is the handmaid of In this instance it was remarkably true. visit to his mother and sisters, he was

* 2 Kings v. 1.

grace.

While on a

induced to

accompany them on the Lord's Day to church. His feelings and conduct on this occasion were sadly dissonant with the sacredness of the place and the solemnities of the service. On the clergyman ascending the pulpit, he remarked to his sister-"Did you ever see such an ugly rascal in your life?" But the man of God bore a message from the high court of heaven to his soul. He announced his theme: "They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten."* He then proceeded to unfold his message with scriptural clearness and affectionate fidelity. He portrayed the character of a soul under a deep sense of its lost state, asking the way to Christ with full purpose of heart, and earnest desire to be saved. The influence and the motives which would awaken and give force to such an inquiring, seeking state of mind, he referred to the Spirit of God moving upon the heart, convincing it of sinto the curse and condemnation under which the soul out of Christ lay, to the reality of a dying bed, and, after death, the solemnities of the day of judgment. Changing his theme, he spoke in tones of melting tenderness of Jesus-of His great love in dying for sinners, of His ability to save to the uttermost, and of His willingness to receive the vilest who fled to Him in faith. He thus enlarged upon the nature, fulness,

*Jeremiah 1. 5.

All was new and

and unchangeableness of that covenant of grace in which they have an interest who join themselves for ever to the Lord. The attention of Major M- was riveted throughout the discourse. His mind was filled with astonishment and awe. startling to him. Such truths he never before had heard, such emotions he had never experienced, such convictions he had never felt. It was indeed a message of God to his soul. With a bruised and bleeding heart he hastened to the vestry at the close of the service, disclosed his feelings to the minister, and solicited the loan of his sermon. Oh, how changed was the appearance of that minister to him now! With the Church of old he could exclaim, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good." The clergyman, on hearing of the blessed effects which his discourse had produced upon the mind of Major M- instantly proffered all the spiritual instruction and comfort which his inquiring mind and anxious heart required. "He brought him to Jesus." After repeated interviews and much prayerful teaching, he had the happiness of seeing the Major a rejoicing believer in Christ, joining himself to the Lord in a perpetual covenant. The change was marvellous, and such as the grace of God only could have produced. The once gay, thoughtless, scoffing Major M- now became the holy, humble, zealous disciple of Jesus,

sitting at His feet, clothed, and in his right mind. He directly turned his attention to the conversion of others. Testifying to all whom he met what "great things God had done for his own soul," he sought to bring them to the same salvation that was in Christ Jesus. Retiring from the army, he went to reside in Edinburgh. It was there the message which summoned him to his Father's house reached him. His departure was sudden, but his soul was ready. His death was instantaneous, but it was a translation to glory. On coming out of his garden one day, he seated himself in his chair, leaned back, and expired.

The conversion of Captain B- was not less striking. It forcibly illustrates the great truth, that "salvation is of the Lord:" and that bent upon bringing His people to a knowledge of Himself, He can accomplish His purpose in the employment of any means, and in a way often most improbable to human wisdom, which His sovereignty might see fit to adopt. Captain Bpossessed all the attributes of a man of the world. He was admirably fitted by nature to participate in its scenes and to contribute to its enjoyments. He danced gracefully, retained his box at the opera, and was the attraction and the soul of every gay party in the regiment. At the time that most momentous event of his life took place which we are now recording, his regiment was quartered at Auberge de Castile, Malta, com