We entered the land of the Philistines 1st of June. You know the prophets say that the sea-coast there is to be " cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks." Zeph. ii. 6. It is really so. You cannot imagine a country more completely covered with flocks. and herds-camels and asses, and oxen and sheep, and goats. The inhabitants are Arabs-a poor and ignorant race of men. How often we have wished for the Arabian tongue to preach to them the unsearchable riches of Christ. We passed like the spies through the valley of Eshcol. We came to a small Arab town, Bet-hanoon. For illustration I will draw it.* This will give you an idea of all Arab towns. Every roof is flat; so that the people sit there, pray there, dry their corn and sift it there. There are no vines in Eshcol now, but immense bunches of grapes are still produced in some places of the Holy Land. The trees around the village are figs-a beautiful dark green tree. We are now tasting the first ripe figs, which are, like Jeremiah's, very good. We crossed the brook Sorek, quite dry; indeed, I think we only met with one flowing stream between the desert and Jerusalem. The streams in the south are all dry in the summer, (see Psalm cxxvi.) We slept that night beside a small town, which we take to be Eshtdol, near which Samson was born. there the brown tents of some Bedouin Arabs, illustrating Song i. -the brown tents of Kedar. This was in the tribe of Dan. Next day we went due east, across the vast plain Sephela, where Asa fought his battle, 2 Chron. xiv., till we entered among the lovely hills of Judah. A wonderful fulfilment of God's Word was pressed on our attention all that day. The quantities of weeds in the plains are quite remarkable, and all of them are of a briery, prickly nature. I counted eleven different kinds of thistle, some of them of gigantic size. In a field where barley had been sown, there were more of these thorns and briers than of the barley. turn to Isaiah xxxii. 13, " Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers ;" and see how long (v. 15), "Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high." Indeed, every mountain and valley of this land is a witness for God, speaking silently but mightily, declaring that God's Word abideth forever.

We saw

Now

We arrived at Jerusalem on 7th June, and lighted off our camels within the Jaffa gate. The first thing that struck me was the quantity of various heaps. (See Micah iii. 12.) It was two or three days before we recovered our fatigues. The first time we went out was to the two pools of Gihon; the upper pool still con

tains water.

Again, we went to Mount Olivet. Winding round the noble walls at Jerusalem, Mount Olivet appears with its softly rounded triple point. It is a beautiful hill of very great extent. It is composed of a pure white limestone, which appears in many places,

*Here he had sketched the village with his pen. He enlivened many of his letters with these outlines, that spoke more expressively than words.

and gives the whole a whitish appearance. Fine old olives adorn it on every side-fig-trees here and there-and pomegranates, with their beautiful deep red flowers. A monastery and a mosque are on the top, and three or four small towers on different points of it. Crops of barley may be discerned here and there. It is altogether a pleasant hill. Between you and it lies the deep valley of Jehosaphat. The bed of the Kedron, quite dry, forms the lowest part. Going along by the east wall of Jerusalem till you are nearly opposite the place where the Temple stood (now the Mosque of Omar), you then descend the steep bank of Moriah to the Kedron. A small bridge now helps you to cross. Here David

went, flying from Absalom barefooted. Here Jesus used to cross going to Gethsemane or to Bethany. The path before you leads right up the steepest part of Mount Olivet. It is a pleasant path. Turning every now and then, you see Jerusalem in all its faded glory, minarets and cupolas lying beneath you. Another path winds upwards round the hill to Bethany, the sweet village of Martha and Mary, two miles off. The little nook between these two paths forms all that remains of Gethsemane. It is a pleasant spot. No one that knows the Saviour can visit it, and look upon its eight old olive-trees, without feeling drawn to it. We tried to pray there, where Jesus sweated blood for us. It was sweet to intercede for you and all we love in that sacred spot. Another favorite spot was the fountain of Siloam, farther down the valley of Jehosaphat. It flows so softly from under the Temple, that you cannot hear the ripple of its waters. You descend a great many steps in the rock, and drink its delightful waters. I send you a small hymn on the other side, which will imprint it on your memory. The valley of Hinnom is a deep gorge or vale to the south of Jerusalem. Mount Zion is actually ploughed like a field. It descends steeply into Hinnom, which again has a rocky barrier on the opposite side. Aceldama is a fearful spot above.

The

The

We left Jerusalem on 18th June, and arrived here on 21st May. Many a pleasant scene we saw between. It is a delightsome land. One only I can mention-Sychar. It was a sweet evening when we entered the valley made by Ebal, a gloomy barren hill, and Gerizzim, a rocky hill, but garnished with gardens. town lies beautiful between, keeping nearer to Gerizzim. next morning we visited the synagogue. A. B. was in time for the service at six o'clock. He had very interesting discussions with several of the Jews, all carried on in Hebrew. You may believe we are not very fluent in the holy tongue, and yet it is wonderful how we get on. We visited the Samaritans also, and, after taking off our shoes, we were admitted into their synagogue to see the MS. of the Pentateuch, 3600 years old. Andrew alone found out the well where Jesus sat, and dropped his Bible in by accident. The Jews here are far kinder and pleasanter than in Europe. They wear a beautiful dress. They are much fairer in

color than the Arabs, and every way a more noble people; and then, when you look your Bible, and see the promises that are waiting to be fulfilled to them, how does the heart fill towards them. God will yet gather them one by one. Pray still for their in-bringing. It is not easy to pray really for Israel: it needs you to have much of the peculiar mind of God. The same evening we visited Samaria, about six or eight miles north of Sychar. It is now a poor Arab village, but the finger of God is there. It is a hill surrounded by hills on all sides. Micah i. 6 is the clearest description of it. It is like an heap of the field. Just as you have seen the stones gathered out of a field into heaps, such is Samaria. The vast ruins are all thrown down, and form just heaps in the field. It is as the plantings of a vineyard. There is but one vine on the whole hill, but it is all terraced and cleared, just as if it were to be planted with vines. "And I will pour," &c. This is wonderfully fulfilled. It filled me with holy awe to look at the heaps of stones-fragments of pillars all rolling down into the valley. The foundations are actually discovered. What a monument of the truth of God! I have only time to commend you to God, and to say-brother, pray for us. Yours ever, &c.

66

P. S.-Commend me to your true yoke-fellow, Mr. Smith, and to Mr. Gillies, and to Mr. Baxter. I cease not to mention all in my prayers, and hope that they do not forget me. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end."

TO WM. C. BURNS, DUndee.

Inquiries about the Revival on first coming home.

20 HILL STREET, Edinburgh, 15th November, 1839.

MY DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER-I last night arrived once more in my beloved home, conducted through every danger by the unseen hand of our Father in Heaven. I cannot lose a moment in writing you a few lines. It was not till we arrived in Hamburgh, that we heard anything of what has been doing in our beloved land for the last five months. There we heard only a rumor that God had visited his people in love, and those also that were Lo-Ammi. You may believe that it was with a thankful, joyful spirit that we read of these things. I cannot rest till I hear from you what has been done among my own dear flock. I do not like to impose a task on you; but if you have an hour's leisure, it would be truly gratifying to me to hear from you, before I come over, a minute account of all that God seems to have wrought in Dundee during my absence. You remember it was the prayer of my heart when we parted, that you might be a thousand fold more blessed

to the people than ever my ministry had been. How it will gladden my heart, if you can really tell me that it has been so. My poor, dear flock, hard-hearted, and stiff-necked as they were, if the Lord has really opened their hearts, and brought them to a saving knowledge of Christ, and if their hearts and lives are together changed, I will bless God while I have any being.

The work at Kilsyth seems to be owned by all God's true servants as not the work of man but indeed divine. What a great joy to you and to your excellent father to have your labors thus honored of God. The Lord preserve you both from all the personal danger to your own souls which such success exposes you to!

I must not write much, having agreed to preach on Sabbath. I would often have written you when away, but you know my weakness, and I was always uncertain as to your movements. Do write me if you have time. Tell me all the good and all the bad. I know well that when Christ is nearest, Satan also is busiest. What of my elders? Of my dear established Christians? What of those who were but lambs? And what of those whom I left in darkness and in the shadow of death? The Lord send me good news.

I shall try to be over on Thursday evening next, if I am well, and trust to join you in praising God together for all his mercy, and grace, and faithfulness, since we parted. Whether I shall be able to resume the full work of the ministry again or no, I cannot tell. My heart still beats too much. But I shall try; and if the Lord shows me that my work in that way is done, I shall pray

for submission.

Do write me speedily, for I weary to hear.

With regard to temporal things, remember I shall expect you honestly to tell how far your small salary has gone to cover your expenses. And if it has not covered them, remember I insist on your demanding as much more as will. The workman is worthy of his hire.

And now the Lord keep you humble and prayerful in secret, and may it not be needful that you be afflicted as I have been ; and may your ministry be blessed still a thousand times more! With kindest love to all my people, yours affectionately, &c.

TO MISS COLLIER, DUndee.

Riches of Christ-resemblance to Him.

EDINBURGH, February 26, 1840.

MY DEAR MISS COLLIER,-I am sorry to leave town without seeing you, but I find myself obliged to do so. A long and interesting meeting of Presbytery took up the greater part of my

time. I am delighted to hear that you are still keeping a little better, and fondly hope the Lord may restore you to us once more, to help us by your prayers in these trying but glorious times. I would like to have seen you once again before going back, but I must just content myself with casting you on the Lord on whom you believe. Precious friend and unchangeable priest, is Christ-sweeter to you than honey and the honeycomb. How great is the goodness he hath laid up for them that fear him! Just as the miser lays up money that he may feast his eyes upon it, so Christ has laid up unsearchable riches, that he may supply all our need out of them. Unfathomable oceans of grace are in Christ for you. Dive and dive again, you will never come to the bottom of these depths. How many millions of dazzling pearls and gems are at this moment hid in the deep recesses of the ocean caves! But there are unsearchable riches in Christ. Seek more of them. The Lord enrich you with them. I have always thought it a very pitiful show when great people ornament themselves with brilliants and diamonds; but it is the truest wisdom to adorn the soul with Christ and his graces. "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire, yet my people have forgotten me, days without number." You see my pen runs on, though I fear you will hardly be able to read what I write. The Lord Jesus give you out of his fulness, and grace for grace. In a mirror you will observe that every feature of the face is reflected --both the large and small features. Now our soul should be a mirror of Christ; we should reflect every feature; for every grace in Christ there should be a counterpart grace in us. The Lord give you this; then I can ask no more for you. Your times are in his hand. Psalm xxxi. May you have the blessing of Asher," As thy days so shall thy strength be."

Farewell till we meet. Kindest regards to Miss N. and Mrs Coutts, and believe me ever yours in lasting bonds, &c.

me.

TO MR. J. T. JUST.

How to conduct prayer-meetings.

March 27, 1840.

MY DEAR JOHN-I was glad to receive your letter and am happy to answer you on the matter in which you apply to No person can be a child of God without living in secret prayer; and no community of Christians can be in a lively condition without unity in prayer. In Daniel's time you see how it was. (Dan. ii. 17, 18.) You see what Jesus said to his disciples on it. (Mat. xviii. 19,) and what a sweet promise of his presence and a gracious answer he connects with meeting for prayer. You see how it will be in the latter day, (Zech. vii. 21,) wher