he may go to "a city of habitation." | firmed; and thus is he more and more When, we say, the servant of the Lord is prepared to "endure hardship as a good enabled to exemplify such a temper as this, soldier of Jesus Christ," to "walk by faith how blissfully is his mind sustained, and and not by sight," to follow his glorious his heart filled with strong consolations; Leader through whatever dark and devious with what celestial dignity is Christian paths he may be pleased to conduct him, principle invested that can thus tranquillise and to wait for that better world where the the soul in days of darkness and sorrow; mysteries of Providence shall be all unand how signally is the Christian's Lord ravelled, the most trying dispensations of honoured by the faith and the hope that his Heavenly Father eternally vindicated, believe and rely on his wisdom and love, and clouds and darkness for ever scateven when he "moves in a mysterious tered from around his throne. Deeply way;" when his "way is in the sea, and his experienced was the heart that suggested, path in the great waters, and his footsteps and the hand that penned, these beautiful lines: :

are not known"!

An illustrious example of this noble, unhesitating resignation to the Divine will occurs in the history of the royal psalmist, in regard to one of the bitterest trials he was ever made to experience. Supplanted in his kingdom and throne by his unnatural son, the heart-embittered king leaves his metropolis, and passes over the "Brook Kidron" with his little band of weeping attendants. There, turning his eye on Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites, who had brought with them "the ark of the Covenant of the Lord,"-" Carry back," he says, "the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation. But if He thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him." Bitterness--bitterness unspeakable —was in the heart of the king of Israel when he uttered these deeply-eaddened words. But they contain no murmur, no complaint. God is recognised as the Supreme Disposer of the mysterious dispensation. In the mind of the sufferer there was, doubtless, the sense and feeling of chastening on account of sore transgression; but he believes that God was bringing it to pass in righteousness, and prostrates himself before him, that he may dispose of him and all his concerns as seems good in his sight.

By the endurance, as well as by the doing of their Heavenly Father's will, do God's people glorify him. By uncomplaining, believing acquiescence in the mysterious and trying dispensations of his Providence, do they as really honour him, as by positive obedience in the paths of duty. And to this gracious temper is the Christian more and more disciplined as he gains acquaintance with the character, the Word, and the ways, of God. In the progress of his Christian course his confidence in the wisdom, faithfulness, and grace of God is invigorated; his views of God's dealings with his people are matured and enlarged; his reliance on the "covenant, ordered in all things, sure and everlasting," is con

"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face."

V.-HOPE.

Among the advantages of Christian Experience, that of HOPE is none of the least interesting and precious. This the apostle particularly and emphatically specifies as resulting from the experience which he and his brethren had, amid their manifold tribulations, of the power and faithfulness and grace of God," Experience worketh HOPE (Rom. v. 4).

The pleasures of hope are proverbial. Every one knows it to be the sweetener of human life, and the sustainer of the mind under its heaviest burdens. Accordingly, there is no affection so universally and habitually indulged and cherished as this. Other passions operate on particular occasions and in certain peculiar circumstances of human life. HOPE springs up in its very morning, with the first feeble power of comparing our actual with our possible state, and attends us through every stage and every condition of life; urging us forward to new acquisitions, holding forth to your view many distant blessings, promising us either relief from some real or imagined ill, or large augmentations of enjoyed good.

If hope, generally considered, be so precious, how unspeakably precious must be CHRISTIAN HOPE-a hope based on the power, and faithfulness, and grace of that glorious Saviour, in whom "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," and in whom, as Mediator, "it hath pleased the Father that all fulness (for his Church) should dwell;" a hope embracing all the

"Bless'd be the everlasting God,
The Father of our Lord;
Be his abounding mercy praised,
His Majesty adored!

"When from the dead he raised his Son,
And call'd him to the sky,

He gave our souls a lively hope
That they should never die.

"fo an inheritance divine,

He taught our souls to rise; 'Tis uncorrupted, undefiled, Unfading in the skies!"

"EXPE

"exceeding great and precious promises" renovated life,-perseveringly, even unto of the everlasting covenant; a hope, in the end! short, reaching onward through all the And now, having "received the atonedays and all the varied scenes of the ment,"-having "put on the Lord Jesus," Christian's earthly course; nor staying its having obtained mercy of the Lord,magnificent aspirations, till it has grasped being now "saved by grace," HOPE springs the unrevealed glories and felicities of the up in his once desolate and cheerless soul "kingdom eternal in the heavens." Well -a hope "full of immortality," and that may the partakers of this precious grace "shall not make ashamed;" the hope of take up their song of humble, adoring enjoying in time, and throughout eternity, gratitude, and say,all the inconceivable good which a dying Saviour has purchased, and a covenantkeeping God has purposed and promised to bestow on his redeemed people. And this "good hope" is encouraged and strengthened by the Christian's progressive RIENCE" in the Divine life. Looking back from time to time on "all the way in which the Lord his God has led him," on all he has participated of the "exceeding riches" of Divine grace, on the many interpositions of God's providence, and Of this hope the Christian is made a the many fulfilments of God's promise, partaker in the day when, by the enlighten- that have marked and gladdened his earthly ing and regenerating spirit of Christ, he is course; his HOPE is confirmed, and he brought to receive and submit to him, as looks forward with humble confidence over "made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, all the scenes through which he may have sanctification, and redemption." Previous yet to pass, while sojourning at a distance to that day, or that period in his history, from his heavenly home. "Having obtained he was "without Christ," and "without help of God,' will he humbly and grateGod," and, therefore, "without HOPE in fully say, 'I continue unto this day.' He the world." Dark and dismal, he now has led me forth, and been with me in sees, were the days and years of his unre- the way I have hitherto gone, why should generate life. He dreamed of happiness I doubt of his presence still? In past when on the brink of destruction; he days of trial he has not forsaken me, and I whispered to his soul, "peace, peace!" will not dishonour his faithfulness by dewhen there was no peace. And “what”. spairing of his support in all that may be oh! how often is the thought forced on yet to come. He has taken me from the his mind-"what if I had been cut down in grasp of the destroyer, and he will not those melancholy days! removed from time permit me now to become his prey. In a ere my great work in time was begun! day of sovereign mercy he made me seek launched into eternity while, as yet, no the way to Zion with my face thitherward, serious thought of eternity had ever yet and he will not now suffer me to go back taken hold of my mind! What everlasting to the city of destruction.' Having led thanksgivings do I owe my gracious Lord me on a part of my perilous journey, he for sparing me in my unconverted state, will not forsake me as I approach its close. bringing me beyond its dismal boundaries, and causing a day of love, light, liberty, and joy to dawn on my poor, benighted, enslaved, cheerless, forlorn soul! Surely, surely, "it is of the Lord's mercies that I Thus is the Christian "saved by HOPE" have not been consumed"! That I have (Rom. viii. 24). "Fear not," is its cheernot, long ere now, "lifted up mine eyes in ing whisper, especially in "the cloudy and hell, being in torments"! And now, what dark day.' Persevere, servant of the unspeakable obligations of gratitude as well Lord Jesus; follow on to know the Lord. as of duty rest upon me to "redeem the Temptations may alarm, opposition may time," of which so much has been already discourage, darkness may perplex thee. lost in pursuing vanities and lies, and to But fear not! more are they that are with labour with my heart and soul in the thee, than all that can be against thee. service of that gracious Lord who "took Thy Leader is almighty. His strength is me from a fearful pit, and from mire where "made perfect in weakness." Surely, there was no standing, and set my feet "goodness and mercy shall follow thee all upon a rock, and established my goings"! the days of thy life, and thou shalt dwell Help me, blessed Lord, to feel these obli- in the house of the Lord for ever"! Such gations, and to embody them in my new, is the Christian's HOPE: and this hope he

He has been 'a refuge for me, and a strong
tower from the enemy; I will abide in his
tabernacle for ever, I will trust in the covert
of his wings'
'" (Ps. lxi. 3, 4).

THE CHRISTIAN BIDDING ADIEU The sun that illumines the regions of peace,

Thou lord of the day, and thou queen of And when death's cold hand my eyelids

My cares and my labours, my sickness and dreadful procession put the same question to pain,

My conflicts with sin and with sinners are more mischievous to the peace or prosperity

DAVID'S TUNES.

fault constantly with their particular business, and deeming themselves unfortunate because fastened to it by the necessity of THE church has always contained some rather eccentric members, troubled with gaining a livelihood. In this spirit men fret, and laboriously destroy all their comfort in very fidgetty consciences. A good, but their work; or they change their business ignorant woman, once went to Dr. Gill, with and go on miserably, shifting from one her loaded soul, to receive consolation. She thing to another, till the grave or the poorwas much grieved with the fact that they house gives them a fast grip. But while were in the habit of singing unholy tunes. occasionally a man fails in life because he "Perhaps so," said the doctor; "well, is not in the place fitted for his peculiar what tunes shall we sing ?" "Why, David's talent, it happens ten times oftener that tunes, sir," said she. "Ah, well; that failure results from neglect and even conwould be very good. If you would get us tempt of a honest business. A man should a copy of David's tunes, we will never sing anything else; till then, we will endeavour put his heart into everything that he does, There is not a profession that has not its peculiar cares and vexations. No man will escape annoyance by changing business. No mechanical business is altogether agreeable. Commerce, in its endless varieties, is affected, like all other human pursuits, with trials, unwelcome duties, and spirit-tiring neces sities. It is the very wantonness of folly

to do the best we can."

PHYSICAL TRAINING.

you wish

WOE to the class or the nation which has
no manly physical training! Look at the
manners, the morals, the faces of the young
men of the shopkeeping classes, if
to see the effects of utterly neglecting the
physical development of man, of fancying
that all the muscular activity he requires
under the sun is to be able to stand behind

for a man to search out the frets and bur

dens of his calling, and give his mind every day to a consideration of them. They belong to human life. They are inevitable. Brooding, then, only gives them strength. On the other hand, a man has power given to him to shed beauty and pleasure upon a counter, or to sit on a desk-stool without the homeliest toil, if he is wise. Let a man tumbling off. Be sure, be sure, that ever adopt his business, and identify it with his since the days of the Persians of old, life, and cover it with pleasant associations; effeminacy, if not twin sister of cowardice and dishonesty, has always gone hand-in- for God has given us imagination not alone to make some poets, but enable all men to hand with them. To that utter neglect of any exercises which call out fortitude, beautify homely things. Heart varnish will cover up innumerable evils and defects. patience, self-independence, and daring, Look at the good things. Accept your lot attribute a great deal of the low sensuality, the conceited vulgarity, the utter want of a as a man does a piece of rugged ground, and begin to get out the rocks and roots, to high sense of honour, which is increasing deepen and mellow the soil, to enrich and just now among the middle classes; from which the navigator, the engineer, the plant it. There is something in the most miner, and the sailor, are comparatively forbidding avocation around which a man may twine pleasant fancies-out of which free.—Kingsley's Miscellanies. he may develope an honest pride.

SELF SEARCH.

I

and

READ not books alone, but men ; and among them chiefly thyself; if thou findest any thing questionable there, use the commentary of a severe friend, rather than the gloss of a sweet-lipped flatterer. There is more profit in a distasteful truth than deceitful sweetness.

HONOUR YOUR BUSINESS.

It is a good sign when a man is proud of his work or his calling. Yet nothing is more common than to hear men finding

DO SOMETHING.

THERE is not a spider hanging on the king's wall but hath its errand; there is not a nettle that groweth in the corner of the churchyard but hath its purpose; there is not a single insect fluttering in the breeze but accomplishes some divine decree; and I will never have it that God created any man, especially any Christian man, to be blank, and to be a nothing. He made you for an end. Find out what that end is; find out your niche, and fill it. If it be ever so little, if it is only to be a hewer of wood and drawer of water, do something in this great battle for God and truth.

Missions.

CHINA.

LETTER FROM THE REV. A. GRANT TO THE TREASURER.

At

negie has twice visited this and Pechuia, dispensing medicines, &c. On both occasions large numbers of people have come, especially to Bay Pay; so much so, that, after treating case after case for several hours without intermission, it has been necessary to send many away.

Bay Pay, 9th March, 1860. MY DEAR MR. MATHESON, It is not surprising to see or hear that the churches here, as elsewhere, have to pass through much tribulation. At present there seems to be a spirit of persecution specially stirred up against them. Pechuia, the preacher and elder, Bu-liat, Notwithstanding this, and possibly has been enduring a good deal of late for stirred up by this success so far, some the gospel's sake. About the beginning threats have been uttered against the of the year two accusations against him Christians here. The chapel-keeper, a were entered at the Mandarin's Court at worthy man, gives this account of it.Hai Teng, the district city; one of which Several of the class of literati came one bore that Bu-liat had broken in pieces day to the chapel to speak evil of this his ancestral tablet, and when remon- way threatening to hinder the Chrisstrated with, insulted his relatives. The tians from worshipping God. The two were brought into court together, ground of their opposition was the probably to prejudice the mandarin alleged abuse of printed paper, which is against him, and obtain a verdict more carefully burned by Chinese out of easily. As it is contrary to the treaty respect to Confucius and learning. that Christian Chinese should be perse- Christian Chinese naturally lose this cuted for their religion, application was superstitious feeling; but, on this occamade to Mr. Gingell, the consul at sion they denied the charge, saying they Amoy, who kindly sent a message to the so prized and loved the word of God, Hai Teng magistrate, reminding him that they would not abuse the page that that such was the case. The conse-contained it. Some of the heathen, they quence has been that, though the warrant had been issued, yet, up to this time, no further step has been taken against him. It is rumoured, however, that the magistrates are displeased that Bu-liat should depena on foreigners, and threaten to use their power over him as their own subject. It has been the occasion of much prayer being made for the persecuted by the churches in Amoy and elsewhere, and Bu-liat has been enabled to rejoice in hope of help from on high.

Last week some of Bu-liat's more distant relatives came to the chapel, and pretended to have something to say to him, on which he followed them out; and in the street, in presence of many spectators, they took his outer clothes and shoes from him. He goes on, however, boldly preaching, enduring as seeing Him who is invisible.

said, despising foreign books, might have committed the offence. Confucius, they said, teaches you to practise justice and benevolence; you value the letters and cast away the doctrine; at the last day he will rise and testify against you. 'God," said the chapel-keeper to me, "is sending trouble on us because he sees we do not value his word and spread it abroad. Also we want brotherly love; and it is God's way to send these things, and by them make the brethren love one another."

Two preachers, Lamsan and Jin-lo, have returned from a visit to Soatau, a village to the east of this, and report that the church members and hopeful converts there are very stedfast, and showing much affection to the disciples of Jesus. They have a prayer-meeting on Tuesdays. Some of them have held fast since the gospel was first brought to this disAt this place, also, some murmurs of trict, at Mr. Burns's visit, several years opposition have been heard. Dr. Car- ago.