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bodies and spirits of men, in the psychie part, and thus overpowered reason and will, breaking man down into sense and sin. Our Saviour met this power of the devil in man, and also in the disorders of nature. Thus He rebuked evil in an angry tone, Luke 13: 16. Acts 10: 38, "Your adversary," &c. 1 Peter 5: 8, "May recover themselves from the snare of the devil."2 Tim 2: 26, He is called "the God of this world." 2 Cor. 4: 4. In Eph. 2: 2, "the prince of the power of the air." He rules thus in the outward physical world, as well as in the children of disobedience. He rules in Heathenism. 1 Cor. 10: 20. "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God," &c. Heathenism is thus the natural spirit of this world, as under Satan. 1 Cor. 12: 2, 3. John exhorts to "try the spirits"-1 John 5: 1– 3, and gives the test. This indicates plainly that there are different kinds of spirits flowing into man through his higher nature.

So "if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath so blinded their minds," &c. This is "the man of sin," whose coming is after the working of Satan, 2 Thess. 119, also 1 Tim. 4: 1. The world thus is Satan's empire. Hence excommunication from the Church is a giving over of the excommunicated one into Satan's power. 1 Cor. 5: 5. Then the person repenting is to be received back again "lest Satan should take advantage," &c. See 2 Cor. 2: 11, also 1 Tim. 1: 20. Here the Church and Satan's kingdom come together.

The devil has, thus, by virtue of his power over nature been able to work miracles in a measure; to oppose the good power on its own ground, making the conflict real. So among the magicians of Egypt, and in heathenism generally. These were not merely shams, tricks; but in the case of the magicians, we have the minister of God in a real conflict with the powers of evil--the legates of the devil vieing in a real way with Moses, transcending the powers of men, and thus confounding the people.

4. Hence it is that the world, as it now stands, is an organized evil, or Satanic power. It does not merely tempt, by throwing baits in the way of men, but the evil lies, and is active, in the very order of the world-including not merely the lower spheres of physical nature, and the lower departments of the spirit, but also the higher, reason, will, philosophy, &c.; the whole constituting, over man's life, a kind of organized evil providence, over against that of God. This is a true, and so a terrible thought! Hence the world, as such, is denounced in Scripture-awv oUTOS. Hoc seculum. "That he may deliver you from this present evil world," Gal. 1: 4, compare Col. 1: 13. Its wisdom is dapovovons (devilish), (see James 3: 15) as well as earthly and psychic. This shows how deep and dreadful is the opposition between Satan and Christ. This same thought is also brought forth by John, 1 John 4:4-6. "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one." 1 John 5: 18, 19. "We wrestle not with flesh and blood," &c., Eph. 6: 11-13-spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places-a spiritual kingdom in the spirituality of wickedness in heavenly places.

We may see from the whole subject two heretical conceptions, by this view of man's fallen state.

1. Manicheism-which held that nature is incapable of restoration without a reconstruction of the whole. This must necessarily subvert the gospel-which is a gospel of salvation, not destruction. 2. Pelagianism-which holds that it received only a shock, and all it needs is to be stimulated by motives. This view also strikes at the root of the gospel, where we learn that what is born of the flesh is flesh.

CHRISTIAN CONSOLATION.

Christianity is quite impartial in her gifts. Asking no return, she seeks every spirit, touched with a sense of love and holiness, to give it grace and glory. Laden with innumerable benedictions, she steps forth from heaven's golden threshhold, and in darkness and in light in sorrow, and in joy, in palace hall and lowly cot, to buoyant childhood, and enfeebled age, to the bride at nuptial banquet, and the widow at the silent grave; in fine, to Jew and Gentile, Scythian, barbarian, bond, and free, with most lavish bounty she scatters her abounding mercies. No one ought to fail in receiving her favors. No one will fail if his heart is opened to the tender persuasions of love, and the sweet attractions of purity. No one ever has failed, if bowed in contrition beneath the hallowed cross of Jesus. True, clouds may have shut out sunlight from the Christian's spirit; storms may have swept over the disturbed deeps of the Christian's soul; the thunder may have muttered above him, and keen lightnings have startled him into strange forebodings, but ever, if patient and trusting, some mighty spirit comes walking on the waters, and at his presence, storm and conflict cease, trembling into reverent stillness. The apostles, called from their homes and labor, called from all the scenes which had endeared their childhood, called from all the cherished hopes of quest along the shores of Galilee, or of renown in the sacred courts of Jerusalem, called into the very midst of defiant persecution, to thread the dark and thorny pathway, leading from reproach to prison, and from prison to martyrdom-the apostles, did not fail to receive her choice blessings. In darkness these came like dew, to give golden lustre to the bent spirit as dawn broke in. In suffering and pain, like Gilead's balm, healing unseen each bleeding wound. At midnight, and in prison, on the wings of prayer, and through the rising incense of sacred praise they came, undoing each fetter, shaking the prison's foundations, opening the barred doors, bowing the trembling jailor in penitent confession, and bringing saving grace and joy to his household, and, like angels, only returning to hear the increased rejoicings of Eden's chanting hests. The apos tles did walk a thorny pathway, but saw heaven scattering flow

ers at their feet. They did grope in darkness, but saw radiant glory through the clouds. They did go from reproach to prison, and from prison to martyrdom, but from martyrdom to glory, and now joining the alleluiahs of seraphim and cherubim, they await the glad hour, when we, and every pilgrim and imprisoned saint with singing and everlasting joy, shall reach the golden city and rest forever.

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STORM OFF CAPE HORN.

The breeze had been fresh all day. Our gallant ship, with every sail set, rushed through the water at the rate of ten knots an hour, on her course to San Francisco. As night closed in, however, dark masses of clouds began to gather to windward, and soon rolled heavily, gloomily, over the whole sky, threatening us with a storm. The wind had not yet increased, and we all hoped it would not, as for the last few weeks the weather had been very rough and all hands were nearly worn out. Nevertheless our captain seemed anxious. Coming on deck frequently with his pea-jacket on and Southwester tied under his chin, he paced the deck rapidly, talking in low tones to the mate with his eyes to the windward. The night grew dark, darker; until it was almost impossible to see. Everything was quiet on deck. The men, gathered together, listened to the dull moaning of the waves and the sound of the wind as it swept through the cordage.

Eight bells struck; our watch relieved for the next four hours. As we hastened below, I heard an old tar grumble: "No use turning in to-night." Another growled: "I wish we were in b-1, or out of this." Sleep had scarcely closed our eyes, before the cry of "all hands on deck" aroused us roughly from our slumbers, and many a dream of home.

Hastening on deck we found the snow falling fast, and the wind blowing a gale. The sky above was black, but to windward blacker, gloomier. One dark mass of impenetrable night spread itself like a pall over us. The order was given to furl the mizzen royal. I sprang aloft; scarcely reaching the end of my journey upwards before the storm burst upon us with terrible fury. It was impossible for me alone to furl the sail, so I let it flap. Seating myself on the yard as comfortably as circumstances would permit, to wait for assistance, I began to enjoy the scene at an elevation of an hundred and fifty feet above the raging waves. On deck there seemed to reign the utmost confusion. Lantern lights were glancing here and there. Ever and anon could faintly be heard the hoarse tones of command, and the wild cry of the men as they strained at the ropes. Snow and sleet fell in blinding torrents. The wind shrieked wildly. The waves rolled at an awful height, lashing themselves into foam, and dashing against our ship as if

anxious for our destruction. Rolling, and pitching, our brave ship struggled and tossed about like a chip, one minute rising on the top of a mountain wave, and seeming for a few seconds to be suspended in mid air, then pitching forward the bows would be buried deep in the black waters. Rolling from one side to the other, the waves dashed over our bullwarks, whilst the timber groaned and creaked, and every mast, rope and beam was strained to the utmost. A sailor soon came to my help, and the sail was furled.

Returning to the deck, we found the men toiling at the pump. Our ship was leaking. Long we worked, with difficulty keeping our feet, for the rolling of the vessel. No one raised a song as the wheel of the pump went round and round, but wet, cold, hungry, gloomy, weary, we grasped the bell-rope,* and still toiled on. Now a heavy, booming sound startled us. Rushing forward, we found one of the sails torn loose, and flapping madly in the wind. Before it could be taken in there was nothing left but tatters. Still the wind blew fiercer, and the waves rolled higher. Day dawned almost like night, dark, gloomy, cheerless.

With a crash the main-sail split. All hands were ordered aloft to furl it. The rigging was covered with men; and the sail stiff with ice. For four hours we labored, until our hands and feet had no sense of life in them, and we struck them against each other to bring back the warm blood. Once the sail blew over our heads; all held fast for their lives; one poor fellow was dashed overboard, and found a grave in the blue, briny ocean he loved so well. No effort was made to save him. We left him to struggle alone, knowing it might be our fate the next minute.

At last, with great effort, we succeeded in furling the mainsail and returned to the deck again. Throughout that whole day the storm raged; the waves frequently dashing over the vessel in a mass five and ten feet deep, and carrying everything before them. Often completely buried in salt water, we were forced to cling fast to the ropes and rigging to prevent ourselves from being swept into destruction. Towards night the gale began to abate; and when morning again broke we found ourselves becalmed; not a breath of air was stirring, although the sea still ran very high.

Many more storms like the one I have described, were we forced to encounter before we succeeded in doubling the dreaded Cape; but at last fine weather came. Every stitch of canvass was once more spread, and joyfully we steered our course for "Frisco" Bay.

L.

VIRTUE SWEETENS LIFE.-"Every state and condition of life, if attended with virtue, is undisturbed and delightful; but when vice is intermixed, it renders even things that appear splendid, sumptuous, and magnificent, distasteful and uneasy to the possessor."

*The bell-rope is a rope fastened to the pump-brake, by which the pumps are worked.

TWENTY YEARS IN THE STATE'S PRISON.

"Here!" said a clear, manly, though I thought, hurried voice behind me. I was sitting in the court-room with my face toward the judge. I instantly turned round to see whose voice said, "here!" Yes, he was "here!" He stood up, a fine, manly youth, of about twenty years of age, as one would naturally judge. His face was pale, and his large, black eyes saw nobody but the clerk of the court, who stood with a paper in his hand. I then understood it. The young man was in the criminal box, and the paper in the hand of the clerk contained the sentence of the judge. Slowly the clerk opened the paper and read:

"Three days of solitary confinement and twenty years in the State's prison."

Not another word was heard. The officer turned, and the young man followed him-to his long imprisonment. I saw him go out at the door, and knew that I should never see him again. He had killed a fellow soldier, but some mitigating circumstances softened his sentence. My thoughts followed the poor young

man.

Has be a father to bend and fall under the blow? Has he a mother to weep over his doom? How long will they live? They will die and leave their child in prison! "Twenty years!" Suppose he should live through the sentence and come out, his youth gone, his friends all gone, the world changed, he will feel like a piece of drift-wood on the great waters! Öld houses will be pulled down and new ones built. Old people now will all be dead. The little boy to-day will then be a man. The little girl will be a woman then. How many graves will be dug before that day! The proud ships that now spread their sails will all have disappeared, some broken up because worn out, and many lost in the dark, deep waters. All the horses and cattle now living will be dead. The judge who held the court, the jurors who tried him, the clerk who read his sentence, the officer who led him out, and the warden of the prison who received him, will all very likely be dead! The carriage and the cars that carry him to prison will be worn out. The birds that sing to-day will all be dead then.

"Twenty years!" He will have gray hairs then. He cannot then begin life for this world. He may live to come out, but the blood of his fellow soldier will still be on him. He cannot leave his guilt in the prison. Nothing but the blood of Christ can remove sin and take away guilt. Poor fellow! What if he say, "I am young-too young for such a doom!" But was he too young to kill a strong man? What if he say, "It's too hard to be condemned for twenty long years just for what I did in an instant! It took me but an instant to stab him!" Ah! human law and di

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