wife that he could not go to bed, and I believe spent with her the greater part or the whole of the night in prayer. A person who knew nothing of his difficulty brought the exact sum to him the next morning, offering to loan it. He both laughed and cried when telling me of this. And though he had often before pleaded with God for the blessing until he prevailed, the suggestion then made to him, that perhaps he had never prayed for souls, for his children, like that, went right home, and the harvest was almost at once in more than one direction rich and bountiful.

We must soon close; but we cannot forbear mentioning that Mr. Wooldridge has a very close and precious connection with our Australian missions, inasmuch as it was under a sermon that he preached in a cottage, while on his way home to visit his friends, that JOHN HALSE was converted; and it is well known that he, with others, laid the foundation of our Church at the Burra, and carried on the work until the arrival of the brethren Way and Rowe.

The warmth of Mr. Wooldridge's friendship is one of our most cherished memories. For Mr. James Thorne he had an affectionate reverence, akin to that of a dutiful son for a wise and loving father, and it is my joy to know that he regarded me-such was his wealth of love and goodness—as a father might his own son. The night that Mr. Thorne died, in January, 1872, Mr. Wooldridge dreamed that he saw him in company with Mr. W. Reed, Mr. W. Courtice, and others of the sainted dead; and when he proposed to consult him on some Circuit matters Mr. Thorne told him he had now done with all that. Mr. Wooldridge was so impressed by his dream that I think he wrote to enquire if Mr. Thorne were ill or dead, but at any rate he heard in a day or two that just before he had thus dreamed, Mr. Thorne had joined the "spirits of just men made perfect." Mr. Wooldridge has now joined the same glorious fellowship, and may God, in His infinite mercy, grant that when the circle is complete, both writer and reader may be included.

Mr. Wooldridge was buried at Draycott, on Thursday, March 26th. On Easter Sunday Mr. Jeffrey preached a memorial sermon to a large congregation, which was accompanied by gracious manifestations of the Divine presence. No day in the whole year could be so appropriate for such a service as Easter Sunday, the day on which the Church robes itself in garments of white, and with rapturous joy and gratitude celebrates Christ's resurrection from the dead. Mr. Wooldridge told his family that they were not to put on mourning for him; if they made any alteration in their attire they were to put on white, for he, at any rate, was not going down to the pit, but up to the mansions of everlasting glory. He entrusted to me,

some time ago, valuable papers which contain an account of his life and labours. These will be published shortly, and doubtless others besides his personal friends will be edified and profited by their perusal.

DEVOTIONAL PAPERS FOR THE LORD'S DAY.

SUNDAY, MAY 3.-ACTS IX, 31.

E have a magnificent play of words in this verse, from which we might extract the sweetest honey, or draw forth the choicest music. Words are symbols of thoughtsthoughts embodied, incarnated, made tangible to the understanding and heart. Principles are first vital in the mind, and, secondly, enshrined in living utterances. What homilies might be written, what discourses made on the terms-" Churches," "Rest," "Edified," "Walking," "Fear of the Lord," "Comfort of the Holy Ghost," and "Multiplied"? How much each word suggests and represents ? What thoughts they embody? What principles they involve? How striking is the first word"THEN"!

"Then had the Churches rest."- When? Read the context and

it will tell you. Thus it links you to a previous history and experience, and becomes the golden hinge on which turns a serener and happier phase of life and practice. Were we close observers of our daily life, we should ever and anon be struck with amazement at the many and marvellous THENS" which punctuate and memorialise our time-story. "Thens," which clasp a terrible past with a glad and beautiful present, which awaken memories of bygone experiences-trouble, persecution, darkness, suffering and light up the soul with the peacefulness and bliss of a glorious reverse.

In the darkest hour, then, light has sprung up. In the deepest sorrow, then, comfort has come. In the utmost extremity, then, God has shown it to be His opportunity in which to deliver His child, and glorify Himself!

In the midst of severe tempests, the breakers of human and infernal hatred and rage leaping in wrathful potency over the infantile Church, threatening its destruction, "Then" the chief persecutor is smitten down by the power of God, and converted from a lion into a lamb. "Then" the tide turns, and the winds drop, and the storm subsides to a calm-" Then," in God's own hour, and according to His own plan and purpose "had the Churches

rest," &c.

Observe WHAT THE CHURCHES HAD:- They had

Rest," Edification, Increase :—

They had "REST," not ease; not inactivity; not the rest of sleep. It is questionable if ease, or idleness, or inaction, is rest: are not these a cankerous rust which gnaw and eat away the true elements of manhood, and bring the miseries of a meaningless existence into play? Is not the most unresting individual the man or the woman sitting at ease in the busy thoroughfare of life, dreaming idly of prospects that never bud, nor blossom, nor bear fruit? The Church has never any time for indolent indulgence; and a bitterer enemy it could not have, than a Laodicean lukewarmness and ignoble ease. The Christian or the Church that repudiates the idea of work, that scorns the true missionary spirit of self-sacrificing activity and zeal, will soon die of spiritual decline! Rest is best promoted by diligent exertion, and enjoyed by the holy toiler.

The Rest of the Militant Church must be akin to that of the Church Triumphant, where "They rest not day nor night!" It must be a rest without a rest.

The Rest which these early Churches enjoyed was exemption from cruel oppression and violent opposition. A Rest better expressed by the term "Peace." Quiet after tumult; a calm after storm. The alternations of sunshine and cloud, battle and rest, are the characteristics of Churches to-day. The great disturber of humanity's peace is the devil. The secret of all unrest lies deeper down than circumstances, it is found in found in one little monosyllable" Sin!" The root of persecution is a moral aversion to right. The fountain of disquietude in the individual heart, and also in the Church, is in-submission to God. There would never be a ripple on the surface of our life-sea, never a contrary wind-storm in our Church experience, if every human will were in perfect accord with the Divine, and if man, the wide world over, were what God would have him be.

We

The Churches have enjoyed a long rest from outward attacks of enemies, and onslaughts of persecutors. Ours are blessed times in which to live for Christ and serve humanity. The fires have long since ceased to burn, the sword to destroy, the rack to torture; and Zion exults in an unbroken reign of tranquillity and freedom. have an open Bible and the liberty to read it when and where we like; abounding sanctuaries, and freedom to worship without interruption or prohibition; we may make a profession of faith without encountering a threatening Nero, a squalid dungeon, a blood-thirsty inquisitor, a martyr's doom and death. The Churches have "Rest," bought dearly by the blood of our fathers, the chivalry in suffering and death of noble men, "of whom the world was not

66

worthy." We ought to be good Christians to-day, considering that our 66 peace flows as a river." We ought to be active and earnest workers seeing that the Lord has given us rest from our enemies on every side. We run no risk in doing good. We cannot tell how soon the storm may again gather and the hurricane of persecution sweep over the Churches; let us then " Work" while the day of prosperity lingers, before the night of adversity and trouble shall enwrap us.

The Churches had EDIFICATION-"were edified," strengthened by accessions of grace, according to the strict meaning of the Greek word. Paul elsewhere uses it as "building up." This came as the result of rest. During the conflict with persecutors they had little chance for personal and mutual culture and consolidation. Then they were constantly on the watch-tower, marking the tactics and advances of their enemies, often necessitated to flee from city to city for shelter and safety. Now, they were settled down in peace; so that hope and faith and purity and grace daily became stronger, and the Churches, fortified by an enlarged experience, a tried confidence, and a well-seasoned courage, were built up in godliness and truth. All their energies and power became newly concentrated and unitedly exercised—their faithpower, praying-power, witnessing-power, and working-power. "Persecution like storms may deepen the roots of piety where it exists, but is unfavourable to the dissemination of seed and the growth of fragile plants." "Conflict brings experience, and the rest in experience brings that up-building in grace which is not to be obtained by any other means."

How ought we under such auspicious circumstances to be "edified"? Peace being within our gates, prosperity should be within our palaces. Our duty is to speak to edification—to live and labour, to watch and pray, to be holy in conduct and conversation, that having "Rest" the Churches may be vigorous, enterprising, and prosperous, as were those of apostolic times.

SUNDAY, MAY 10.-PSALM xvii., 15. (latter part.) Satisfaction! How universally desired, how inevitably unattainable here. Satisfaction! God only can give it, and the creature only can realize it hereafter. It is the future prospect, the reserved bliss of the child of God. Hope with its eagle-eye seizes it in the dim distance, and over the wreck and ruin of all present unsatisfying joys and treasures it ecstatically shouts-" I shall be satisfied!" These outreachings, throbbings of the divinity within after this rest-point of the soul, shall be met, shall be hushed in the eternal

calm of God, for "I shall be satisfied when I awake with His likeness!"

Oh, the weary wanderings of the human spirit into devious paths after this supposed attainable good here! What diligent search, what restless pursuit, what feverish hunt is made by the creature after this ungraspable boon! The dizzy heights of fame are scaled, but in vain; the deepest depths of learning are sounded, but to no purpose; the golden paths of wealth are travelled, but it cannot be found; the whole circle of world pleasures, human friendships, earthly comfort and luxuries is swept round, again and again, but no eye can detect its presence, no ear catch its music, no heart feel its wondrous charms! the chase is as fruitless and as foolish as that of the boy in pursuit of the rainbow. We seem to see it resting on yonder elevation and so run to grasp it, but find on arriving that it is as distant as before, and so perpetually.

Solomon with breathless haste made the chase, but at last as he lay panting over his fruitless toil-a chagrined and disappointed old man-he wailed out, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." He found that the world was not big enough

for the human soul. That within there was an infinite craving which the wealth, the honours, the friendships, the pleasures, and the luxuries of a whole universe of worlds could not quiet; undeniable evidence that man was made for God, that God alone is sufficient to fill the "aching void," to satisfy the craving of the spirit He has created. In Him, and in Him alone, the intellect finds its rest in Truth, the conscience its tranquillity in Rectitude, the heart its happiness in Loving Communion.

But while God appeases the hunger of the soul, and slakes the thirst of the spirit, in other words, while He satisfies the cravings of the immortal nature, it is still true that satisfaction in its complete and absolute sense is not realized in this present life. That belongs to the after-life; it is future, it is consequent on the awakening in the morning of perfected being with God's likeness. We are, or may be, satisfied so far as our hunger and thirst for creature good, or worldly honours, riches, learning, &c., are concerned, but never satisfied so far as our desires after more and more of righteousness, goodness, God go. As the moral health becomes established, the moral appetite becomes keener, and longings for more expansive views, and exalted conceptions, and wealthy realizations of God and goodness become intenser. It is a narrow heart that knows no aspirations after the more excellent gifts; it is a false soul that is satisfied with present attainments! Our destiny is not to be dissatisfied, but for ever unsatisfied. True religion creates an un-satisfaction in the bosom of its possessor, both with