OFFICES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT is the office of the Holy Ghost to assure us of our adoption as sons, to create within us a sense of the paternal love of God towards us, and to give us an earnest of our everlasting inheritance. As, therefore, we are born again of the Spirit, and receive from Him our regeneration, so we are also assured by the same Spirit of our adoption, and because, being sons, we are also heirs, heirs with God, and joint-heirs with Christ by the same Spirit, we have the pledge, or rather the earnest of our inheritance.-Bishop Pear son. The witness of the Spirit is a thing that we cannot express; a certain inexpressible assurance that we are the children of God: a certain secret manifestation that God hath received us, and put away our sins. No one knows it but they that have it. I confess it is a wondrous thing, and if there were not some Christians that did feel it and know it, you might believe there was no such a thing; but it is certain there is a generation of men that know what the seal of the Lord is.-Preston. The testimony of the Spirit is immediate, by His secret influence upon the heart, quieting and calming all distrust and diffidence concerning its condition, by His own immediate power. Fear is banished by a soft whisper from the Spirit of God in the heart; and this in such a way that, though the spirit of man is calmed by it, yet it cannot tell how it comes to pass.-Simon Ford. AN ALLEGORY. God may dwell and work there; the sick man is my own body, which is now hot, now cold, hungry, thirsty, feeble, sick-in short, ever needing my watchfulness and care. All this daily wears out my strength." The bishop listened with wonder, and then said, "Dear brother, if all men laboured and struggled after this manner, the times would be better, and more according to the will of God." THE BELIEVER LOOKING TO CHRIST. "WHOM have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside believer looking up to heaven, looking abroad thee." (Ps. lxxiii. 25.) We have here the his own heart, and finding nothing-nothing on the earth, looking unto himself and into he can delight in, and nothing he can trust to, but One, his God and Saviour: God as He has revealed himself in the person of His believer, with this blessed object in view, turning eyes backward, and retracing his course- Christ in his heart and in his well-beloved Son. And then we have the thoughts, Christ in the world, and Christ thousand times more than heart can conceive even in heaven-even in the possession of ten desires for ever. Rev. T. G. Ragland to the -still Christ, his portion, his all, and all he Rev. H. Venn. ENCOURAGEMENT. O BELIEVER, hidden in the cleft Rock, abide in Him. As the sky darkens around you, hide deeper in Him. It is only for a short time; one dark, dark cloud, and eternal sunshine beyond-one wild wave of vengeance, and an unbounded ocean of glory.—M'Cheyne. LONG ago there lived a priest who was often heard in the evenings to complain of great weariness and pain. His bishop once asked him the cause of his complaints. "Alas!" A man's house should be on the hill-top answered he, "I have every day so much to of cheerfulness and serenity, so high that no do. I have two falcons to tame, two hares to shadows rest upon it, and where the morning keep from running away, two hawks to man- comes so early, and the evening tarries so age, a serpent to confine, a lion to chain, and late, and the day has twice as many golden a sick man to tend and wait upon." "Why," hours as those of other men. He is to be this is only folly," said the bishop; no man pitied whose house is in some valley of grief has all these things to do at once.' "Yet, in-between the hills, with the longest night and deed," he answered, "it is with me as I have the shortest day. Home should be the centre said. The two falcons are my eyes, which I of joy, equatorial and tropical. must diligently guard, lest anything should please them which may be hurtful to my salvation; the two hares are my feet, which I must hold back, lest they should run after evil objects, and walk in the ways of sin ; the two hawks are my hands, which I must train and keep to work, in order that I may be able to provide for myself and for my brethren who are in need; the serpent is my tongue, which I must always keep in with a bridle, lest it should speak anything unseemly; the lion is my heart, with which I have to maintain a continual fight, in order that pride and vanity may not fill it, but that the grace of Death is only death as viewed from the earthly side; as viewed from the heavenly side, it is birth. The trouble you dread may never come; and if it does, its character may be so changed by the time it reaches you, that you may not dread it; or you may be raised above it; so that it may pass away without much affecting you. Small troubles are frequently the greatest trials, because we endeavour to bear them alone. A MOST unlovely trait in the young and happy is that sarcasm which aims its cruel shafts at the aged and the poor, the imbecile and the deformed. Yet often is this weapon placed in the little hand, even in the nursery, and perchance sharpened and poisoned by a mother's hand. How many a naturally tender-hearted child, having been repeatedly threatened with a visit from a crazy man, or with being given away to an old lame beggar, has its pity toward the unfortunate turned into hate! Of all the scenes of childhood, none shines more brightly, as the distance widens, than does the one of which we are about to write. It lay in a far-off village. The old church with its broad dimensions stood on the little triangular green, and its lofty spire seemed, to our untrained eye, to reach almost to the moon, which shed its pale, solemn light on the countless panes. Directly opposite was the cottage parsonage, surrounded by a white fence, and half hidden by tangled masses of honeysuckle and wild-brier. The large garden was separated from the road by a common stone wall. We-three sisters and a gentle little friend, Mary-were at our wonted play one Saturday afternoon upon a rock near the house, our favourite resort. How like a picture in fairyland does that old, moss-grown rock even now appear! The sun was shedding its wondrous light on the church windows, which reflected the glory on tree, stream, and meadow. An old man, with a heavy oaken staff, came slowly up the road, and halting before us, leaned wearily upon the stone wall. The wind scattered the white locks over his high, pale brow, and his bright, restless eye darted from one object to another with a wildness which awed us, we knew not why. "It is Jim Brown," quietly said our little friend. "Poor old man! he is crazy." We had never seen a deranged person before; but the fame of this old man's ferocious attacks on certain boys had reached our ears, and we were terror-stricken. With white lips, we proposed a retreat to "mother's room," a place which, to childhood's trusting heart, seems beyond the reach of danger. But little Mary objected, saying "It is cruel to be afraid and run away, when he is talking to us." And she replied to all his vague questions with as much calmness in her blue eye as if there were no such word as fear. "If you pity such people," she continued, "you will never need to fear them. This old man is poor because some one cheated him out of his property. Then his wife and his 419 children died; and after a long time of trouble and sickness, he became crazy, and now wanders about from town to town perfectly harmless." 66 Oh," we replied, "he throws stones at the boys, does he not ?" "He is always kind to good children," responded Mary," and sometimes gives them the wild-flowers and the grapes which he gathers in his walks. But if boys throw stones at him, or steal away his hat and cane, he turns upon them. See-I'm not afraid." And descending from the rock, she went to the wall and gave him a large pear which she had just picked. He took it in one hand, and laying the other on her sunny head, the poor old wanderer said, in a tremulous voice, "God bless you, my good little child !-may you never live to be old and homeless!" As Mary regained her seat beside us, the old man called out to know if this was the minister's garden. On being told that it was, he laid his folded arms on the wall, and leaning over, sang in a wild tone the following lines of that beautiful hymn : "The Lord into His garden comes, The spices yield a rich perfume, The lilies grow and thrive." And then taking up his rude staff, he walked on, the echo of his singing coming back to us as he rose above the distant hill. That little incident was never erased from our minds; the memory of those simple teachings presenting thoughts of pity and love for such unfortunates, long after many a wiser one had been received into the heart. The spectacle of a demented fellow-creature, to this day, awakens the tenderest compassion in our breasts. But had little Mary shrunk in fear from that poor man-had she repeated the stories of his furious passion and his wild mirth-a corresponding impression would have been left indelibly upon our excited imaginations. As for Mary, our gentle, fearless little teacher, the blessing of the stricken fell upon her bright head; nor was it long in coming. Soon we played upon the rock alone. She was gone to the home of love. She can never now be old nor homeless. Oh for more such gentle teachings, that childhood might be saved from the anguish of fear, and the unfortunate from ridicule and scorn! DO YOU WANT A BOY, SIR? "Do you want a boy, sir?" said George, a little urchin, scarcely eight years old, to a spruce-looking clerk in a large shop. "Want a boy? Why, who wants to be hired?" asked the clerk, looking with a puzzled glance at the little applicant. "I do, sir," replied George. "Look here, gentlemen," cried the young man, speaking to his fellow-clerks; "here is a regular Goliah seeking work. Wants to be a porter, I suppose. Look at him. Isn't he a strapper?" The clerks gathered in great glee about poor George, who stood full of earnest purpose before them, and was therefore unconscious of any reason why he should be made an object of sport. "What can you do?" asked one. "You can post books, of course?" said another. Carry a bale of goods on your shoulders, eh?" cried a third. "Hush, young gentlemen," said the elderly book-keeper at the desk, after viewing George through his spectacles. "Hush! don't make sport of the child. Let me talk to him." Then speaking to George in kindly tones, he said, "You are too young to be hired, my child. Who sent you here?" "I came myself, sir. My father and mother are gone to heaven. My aunt is poor, and I want to earn something to help her. I am very strong, sir, and will work very hard. Won't you please to hire me?" This simple story, told in a way that shewed how earnest the boy was, not only checked the sport of the spruce clerks, but brought tears to their eyes. They looked on the delicate child before them with pity and respect, and one of them placing a shilling on the desk, asked the rest to follow his example. They did so. He then took the money, and offered it to George, saying— "You are too small to be of any use here, my good boy. But take this money, and when you have grown a bit, perhaps we may find something for you to do." George looked at the money, without offering to touch it. "Why don't you take the money?" asked the clerk. "If you please, sir, I am not a beggar boy," said George; "I only want to earn something to help to pay my aunt for keeping me. "You are a noble little fellow," said the senior clerk. "We give you the money not because we think you a beggar, but because we like your spirit. Such a boy as you will never be a beggar. Take the money, my boy, and may God give you and your aunt better days." into useful and successful men. It made George do this, for in after-years that little boy became a noted artist, whose praise was spoken by many tongues. All children should cherish a desire to do all they can for themselves, and to support themselves by their own labour as early as possible. Those who lean on father and mother for everything will find it hard work to get along alone by and by, as they may have to do when their parents die; while those who early learn to rely upon themselves will have little difficulty in earning their own living. Learn, therefore, my children, to help yourselves-always minding to do so under the advice and with the consent of your parents or guardians.Sunday-School Advocate. WHERE is a pen first mentioned in the Bible? Who wished that "his enemy had written a book?" Where are pen and ink spoken of? Whose sin is said to be written with a pen of iron? Where do we read of 66 a book of remembrance?" Whose names are recorded there? In what book of the Bible does the name of God nowhere occur? does it plainly teach ? What lessons concerning God's providence What do the "heavens declare?" Of what is the "merchandise better than silver?" For what were the Bereans commended? Who read a prophecy concerning Christ, while riding in his chariot? What are said of those who add to or take from the words of a certain prophecy? What is the closing invitation of the Bible? Have you accepted it? No. 31.-Gen. xiv. 14.-Gen. xxx. 28.Gen. xxiv. 24.-2 Kings v. 13.-2 Kings XX. George now took the money, put it care- 27.-2 Chron. ix. 7.-Matt. xxvi. 51.-Luke fully into his pocket, and left the shop. His vii. 2.-John ii. 5.-Luke xv. 25, 26.-Philemon. aunt, needy as she was, could not help laugh--2 Sam. xii. 18.-Dan. xii. 26.—Dan. xii. 26.— ing when he told her this story, and the chid- Phil. ii. 7.-Eph. vi. 5, 6. ing she gave him for going in search of work without her counsel was not very severe, you may feel assured. I like George's spirit in this affair. It was noble, brave, and self-reliant beyond his years. It was the spirit that makes poor boys grow No. 34.-Gen. ii. 21.-Gen. xxviii. 11.Psalm cxxi. 4.-1 Kings xix. 5.-1 Sam. xxvi. 12.-1 Sam. iii. 4.—Acts xvi. 27.—1 Kings iii. 20.-Acts xii. 6.-Psalm xc. 45.-Psalm cxxxii. 4.-Acts xx. 9.-Acts xx. 9.-Luke xxii. 45.— John xi. 11; Mark v. 39.-1 Thess. iv. 4. Published by A. STRAHAN AND Co., 42 George Street, Edinburgh; and E. MARlforough and Co., 4 Ave Maria Lane, London. REVISED BY THE REV. NORMAN M'LEOD, D.D., GLASGOW. WEEKLY NOS. ONE HALFPENNY.] TEARS AND SHEAVES. THERE are great promises connected with personal effort to win souls to Christ. First of all, for its combination of place and grace, is that precious passage in the Psalms, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves with him." How full of sweet encouragement is this! Whole sheaves of souls shall the man bring with him, to present before the Saviour in glory, whose life has been a faithful sowing of this precious seed. Sheaves and tears! This kind of spiritual husbandry is exceeding profitable; there is no kind of labour on earth that yields so rich a return. Nor is it subject to any of the uncertainties of an ordinary harvest. The season itself may be unfavourable or unfruitful; there may be severe frosts or parching droughts; there may be high winds and desolating tempests; yet the final profitable result is not to be doubted. He shall doubtless come again with rejoicing. There is no perhaps about the matter; he shall doubtless come. And he shall come with rejoicing. He would come with rejoicing, even if no sheaves were gathered; for all labour done for Christ is infinitely precious, and shall have a rejoicing reward. And so said the prophet Isaiah, when sadly he was bemoaning that he had laboured in vain, and spent his strength for nought; he said suddenly, by the impulse of the Divine Spirit, "Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength." And to this answers the apostle, "We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ," whether the sheaves be gathered or not. He shall be glorified, and we shall rejoice. Yea, there is joy in this very business of weeping and sowing; there is great joy; and when a Christian returns from it, though he bring not a single ear of corn, nor a single grain of wheat with him, [MONTHLY PARTS, THREEPENCE. and much less a cart pressed down with sheaves, yet in his own spirit he shall rejoice. If the seed sown does not bring forth fruit in others, yet doubtless it shall be in his own soul; it shall cause him to rejoice in the peaceable fruits of righteousness; it shall be in him joy unspeakable and full of glory. This is fruit for Christ, and a ground of joy and glory in the Christian, though never a seed that he has sown should sprout or take root, or come up into a harvest in the souls where he has sown it. This is fruit for Christ, the very labour he has entered on, and a blessed exercise to his own spiritual being; the animation and the blessedness of which shall cause him to rejoice with new life in his own soul, and to bless God that he was ever led to undertake such labours. It is such labours that keep the soul alive, that keep the fountain of love and joy unchecked and open, fresh and sparkling in the soul. Such labours are necessary to preserve the spiritual being from stagnation, from palsy, from death. Therefore, this personal effort for Christ would make the soul of the Christian rejoice, though he should see in other souls no result whatever from his labours. But the promise not only has a doubtless and a rejoicing in it, but the mention of sheaves, a bringing of sheaves. It cannot fail; such labours shall not be undertaken in vain. There shall be fruit in the souls of others; souls shall be brought to Christ; and he that enters on these faithful labours, and perseveres in them, shall doubtless be the honoured instrument in bringing many souls to Christ. He shall bring his sheaves, whole sheaves. As in the time of harvest, men, women, and children follow the carts, laughing, and shouting, and singing, so there shall be singing in his soul when the harvest is gathered in. Then, he that reapeth and he that soweth shall rejoice together. Lord, am I, and the children whom Thou hast "Here, given me! Lord, Thy pound hath gained ten pounds! Lord, I sowed but ears of wheat, and here are sheaves of glory!" It was Paul that planted, and Apollos that watered, but God only that gave, or could give, the in crease. seed deep, and see that it has a resting-place, so that when he turns to go, he may say to himself, "There! that is safe; neither the fowls can get it, nor the wind take it, nor the devil find it." The Lord, if He pleases, can bless that Word, and make it grow; for it is neither on stony places, nor by the wayside, but in the earth of the man's heart. There is great blessedness in sowing seed in this manner. Harlan Page, if we mistake not, was such a sower of seed. But there is a more important point still. The sowing must be done with weeping: "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed." Ah, this is a great point indeed a great matter. This is where we are all deficient. The want of this weeping is the reason for so little reaping, the reason why there seems to be so much sowing without any sheaves. Almost all the failures of a harvest are owing to this; not owing so much to bad seed, or stony ground, or the fowls of the air, or the devil himself, as this want of weeping on the part of the sower. Satan does not need to weep when he sows his seed; for there will be tears enough when it grows, and tears on account of its growing-yea, there will be weeping, and wailing, and gnash As to the matter of promise and encouragement, then, there is plenty of it. But it is worthy of special remark that it is made only to labours conducted in a certain way; a certain kind of sowing is requisite, as well as the right kind of seed. The seed, it is very clear, must be the Word of God; thence alone springs up the harvest of holiness, salvation, and eternal blessedness. The seed is the Word, the field is the world, and they that sow are Christians, at least if they sow aright. But a man may sow other things besides the Word; and if he does, then the sheaves will not follow. Just as a man may build, even on the foundation of Christ, wood, hay, and stubble, or gold, silver, and precious stones; but when the day of trial comes, all this stubble-work will be burned, and if he himself is saved, yet it shall be so as by fire. Just so, a man may sow other seed besides the Word of God, he may sow seed that shall produce cockles and darnel, instead of sheaves of wheat; but this stubble shall being of teeth. But Satan's seed will spring burned, and well for the sower if he escape burning with it. Let him see that he takes good seed; that by and by, if he see the tares, he may be able to say, "Lord, did not I sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? Ah! an enemy hath done this!" Well then, see that you do not do it. See that you sow good seed, and let the enemy have all the sowing of the tares to himself; and he shall reap the consequences. Besides this, take care that you not only sow good seed, but that you sow that seed aright. You have different soils to encounter. When God's preparatory providence, like an inundation of the Nile, has been softening the souls of men, and preparing their hearts for the seed, you may sow broadcast, and it will take root; you have just to scatter your seed, and it is done. The sun will ripen it, for the ground is soft, and rich, and moist. But where the soil is hard, it will never do for you to throw your seed in a careless manner, and then hasten on. You must stop to see that it is in the earth; you must sow it at a proper depth, taking time, if need be, to open the furrow and put in the seed, and carefully cover it over; otherwise, the moment you turn to go, the fowls of the air come and devour it. Some Christians sow the Word, if at all, very superficially. They sow it merely in the dust of the streets, as it were, and do not put it into the soil; and so the wind blows it away. We love to see a Christian sowing heartily, thoroughly, patiently, thinking not so much of the extent of ground he goes over, as of the thoroughness of his work. We love to see him put the and grow without weeping; it will grow, too, in any soil, in hard hearts, in stony places, in ground all covered with weeds, in the midst of nettles aud poisons-nay, if he sow it in the midst of corn and wheat, it will grow. No weeping is needed to make it sprout. But the good seed needs weeping. Satan's weeping comes after his sowing; but the Christian's weeping must go before his, and must go with his good seed into the furrows. If every seed he sows, a tear is dropped with it, that seed will grow. Yea, if he is so full of weeping as he goes, that his tears almost blind him, so that he can scarcely see where he sows, so much the better; his seed will take root and spring forth, and bear fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, some an hundred. There will be great sheaves from such weeping and sowing, sowing and weeping. "I saw in seed-time," says quaint old Thomas Fuller, " a husbandman at plough in a very rainy day. Asking him the reason why he would not rather leave off than labour in such foul weather, his answer was returned me in their country rhyme 'Sow beans in the mud, And they'll come up like a wood."" This reminded him of David's expression, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy;" and also of the sheaves and the weeping, whereon it is a good comment. But it is more important that it be a rainy time in the heart of the sower than in the soil where the sower is dropping his seed, though this too is often the cause of a great harvest. But God has promised the early and the latter |