and, above all, the devil, by allurements, through "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," hinder the Christian, the newly-awakened especially, from running with cheerfulness the way of God's commandments. At such times, if the enemy of souls does not prevail to bring such into forbidden paths, he does often so far prevail as to bring doubts into the mind and cause the soul to faint by reason of the way. Some of you, I know, have felt these things, and have been exercised in this way, and I trust have seen and felt God's way of deliverance that it is as I said above by "JESUS ONLY.” His blood, in the one sacrifice, hath perfectly atoned for the sins of every one who believes in Him-in His righteousness the soul is "accepted in the beloved," and by strength imparted from Him the soul believes, repents, trusts, loves, and obeys his Father's will. Then in looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith all is found that the soul requires, and by Him all is rendered unto the Lord, which justifies the soul freely. By the time you receive this I shall, I hope and believe, be again in your midst. Three weeks have I been laid aside from active duty, the only time I have been laid aside (except two Sundays in August) for nearly fifty years. Wonderfully has the Lord dealt with me; graciously has He permitted me to labour in His vineyard, and kindly given me to see the fruits of my labours in the conversion of sinners and in the building up of believers in their most holy faith. The nature of my ailment entailed upon me a fortnight's lying in my bed, though, thank God, without any bodily pain, but, during the whole of that time, my trust for time and for eternity has been "JESUS ONLY." "I have been an unprofitable servant," and I seek forgiveness for the "best obedience of my hands.' Through the goodness of our God I may hope to labour among you a little longer, but perhaps not quite so vigorously, or so continuously, as heretofore, for I am advised not to do so much; but now, will not you so use these times and opportunities as that I may be permitted to see many more calling upon the Lord for "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved," and especially would I ask those who have given evidence that they are Christians indeed to avail themselves of the privilege of meeting together once, at least, between Sunday and Sunday, for the edification and comfort of their souls. I shall as "long as I am in this tabernacle," endeavour to stir up your minds by way of remembrance. I hope to continue the address, but shall not publish a Sheet Almanac for next year, for so many are published and distributed without charge and with publications you take, that there is little necessity for one, especially as you have a monthly calendar with the address, in which I can give any other needful information of that sort. Let me, in conclusion, call your attention to the little regard paid by many to the Lord's day, which I do in the powerful language of the Bishop of Liverpool, "Alas for the prospects of those who know nothing of keeping Sabbaths holy on earth, and who only spend them in worldliness, pleasure taking, or sin! I tremble to think of this. If a man will not meet God one day in seven upon earth, where is his readiness for eternity in His company and the society of saints and angels? Where is his meetness for heaven, which is nothing but an eternal Sabbath, an everlasting Sunday, a Lord's day without end? Yes, I may well ask, where? Men, forsooth, cannot give God one day in seven. It wearies them to spend one seventh part of their time in attempting to know anything about Him, before whose bar they are going one day to stand! His Bible wearies them! His ministers weary them! His house wearies them! His praises weary them! The excursion train is better! The merry dinner party is better! The newspaper is better! Anything, in short, anything is better than God! Alas, what an awful state is this to be in! But alas ! how common!" But blessed and happy is the thought that delight in the observances of the Lord's day on earth, is one of the sweet evidence of meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light. "Those who have loved to meet Christ by faith in his Sunday worship on earth, are precisely those who will meet Him with joy at His second appearing." Believe me, your loving Pastor, Our dear friend, DR. HEWLETT, has been laid aside by illness from his loved work, but we are most thankful to know he is better and progressing favourably. And we are glad to have this opportunity of entreating our readers to pray our heavenly Father to bless him very abundantly. For almost fifty years he has proclaimed through all parts of England as well as in his own parish the blessed Gospel of peace, and no pen of ours can tell what GOD has done by him. Oh ! shall we not pray with all our hearts that the Lord may spare the life of His faithful servant for many more happy years of work for Him? THE EDITOR. R. VALPY, the eminent scholar, experienced a blessed change in his religious views not long before his death, and wrote a verse as his confession of faith. This verse Dr. Marsh repeated at a Bible reading in Lord Roden's family. Lord Roden got it written out, and fastened the paper over the mantel-piece in his study, where it still hangs, yellow with age. Some time after this, one of the old heroes at Waterloo, General Taylor, went to visit Lord Roden. He had not at that time thought much on the subject of religion, and preferred to avoid all discussion of it; but whenever he came to the study to talk with his friend alone, his eyes invariably rested for a few moments upon the motto over the mantel-piece. At length Lord Roden said: Why, General, you will soon know that verse by heart." "I know it now by heart," replied the General, with emphasis and feeling. From the time of that visit, a change came over the General's spirit and life. No one who was intimately acquainted with him could doubt its reality. During the two following years he corresponded regularly with Lord Roden about the things which concerned his peace, always concluding his letter by quoting his favourite motto. At the end of that time, the physician who had attended General Taylor wrote to Lord Roden to say that his friend had departed in peace, and that the last words which fell from his dying lips were those which he had learned to love in his life-time :: "In peace let me resign my breath, My sins deserve eternal death; But Jesus died for me." It happened in after years that Lord Roden told the feregoing story at the house of a near neighbour. A young officer, lately returned from the Crimea, heard it, but turned carelessly away. Some months later, Lord Roden received the intelligence that his young acquaintance was in a rapid decline, and was desirous of seeing him without delay. As he entered the sick room the dying man stretched out both hands to welcome him, at the same time repeating those simple lines. "They have been God's message," he said, "of peace and comfort to my heart in this illness, when brought to my memory, after days of darkness and distress, by the Holy Ghost, the Comforter." THINGS WORTH REMEMBERING. BY REV. N. A. GARLAND, M.A. The promises are like the Stars, which are seen only by night. It is when the world is darkened to us that we fully estimate their value. "I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away." God may sometimes cast His children down, but He will never cast them away. It has been said with truth, "There are many who pray for protecting grace when they ought to pray for converting grace." Two sorrowful and wonderful sights-sinners sporting on the brink of hell, and Christians sighing and groaning at the gate of heaven! "Full trust, and surrender." Yes, that is the only way of peace. Joy will best help you to bear pain. Some men come amongst us like sunbeams, cheering and enlivening; others like icebergs, chilling and repelling. Philosophy did not invent the Gospel, and philosophy cannot improve it. Let us cling to the truth in its simplicity. There is a world of meaning in that hymn-line, "Teach me to live; 'tis easier far to die." "This Man receiveth sinners." He receives them to His Heart, to be forgiven and cherished; to His School, to be taught and trained; to His Home, to be comforted for evermore. "HAPPY CHRISTIAN." H APPY Christian! God's own child, Now brought nigh by Jesu's blood. Happy Christian! look on high, J. H. Evans' Collection, 1838. SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS. January 2nd. LORD'S DAY, OR SABBATH. Read Gen. ii. 1-4, and St. Matt. xxviii. I-II. Learn Heb. iv. 9. 1. What does the word "Sabbath " mean? A Rest: the Day of Rest. 2. When was the first Sabbath? In Eden, before the fall of man. 3. Why was the seventh day the Sabbath? Because God rested on that day from all His work. The Sabbath reminds us of Creation, Gen. ii. 2. 4.-Why is the first day the Christian Sabbath? Because Christ rose from the dead on that day. The first day of the week reminds us of Redemption. 5. What is the first day of the week called in the New Testament? The Lord's Day (Rev. i. 10.) 6.-What do we generally call the Lord's Day? Sun-day. That is a heathen word, given to the day when people worshipped the Sun. Still it is a pretty name. Sun-day. A happy, sunny, bright day. But I prefer to call it the Lord's Day. Now can you remember the three names? The Jews called it the Sabbath. The heathen called it SUN-day. We may call it the Lord's Day. 7.-What may we do on "the Lord's Day?" 1. Get up in good time so as to have time for prayer and reading a 2. Do no work except what is quite needful: but of course we may I advise you to brush your clothes and clean your boots on Saturday, so as to be ready for Sunday. "It is a pleasant way of spending an hour indoors on Sunday to go through the alphabet with texts. Father starts with a text beginning with A. Mother follows with B. Then the children in their turn go on with C, D, E, and so on until Z is reached. Or take anything you see, a tree, a house, or water, or bread, and try how many texts you can all remember in which the thing is mentioned. It will beget in you a habit of thinking of Scripture texts. All things around you will remind you of some holy word of God, and your mind will so get into the habit of calling up texts, that they will come up without calling, just when they are needed.” 8.-Can you say the fourth Commandment? Let me hear. Mark those words "Keep it Holy."- Keep it Holy." Broken, wasted Sabbaths lead to all sorts of evil and sorrow. 9.-What does the Sabbath remind God's people of? Of the rest in Heaven, Heb. iv. 9. 10.-I want you to learn these lines: say them after me now: A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content, But a Sabbath profaned, what'er may be gained, Those lines were written by Sir Matthew Hale. January 9th. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Read St. John v. 1.—What is the meaning of the word "Scripture?" A writing. |