prompt and diligent improvement of which the state of the barn and barn-yards depends. If the season of heavenly visitation be improved, who can tell but it be with you may as with one well known to us? She was a fair enough professor, yet had been living a careless, godless, Christless life. She awoke one morning, and, most strange and unaccountable, her waking feeling was a strong desire to pray. She wondered. It was early dawn, and what more natural than that she should say, there is time enough— meanwhile "a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep?" As she was sinking back again into unconsciousness, suddenly, with the brightness and power of lightning, a thought flashed into her mind, filling her with alarm-this desire may have come from God; this may be the hour of my destiny, this the tide of salvation, which, if neglected, may never return. She rose, and flung herself on her knees. The chamber was changed into a Peniel; and when the morning sun looked in at her window, he found her wrestling with God in prayer; and, like one from a sepulchre, she came forth that day at the call of Jesus, to follow him henceforth, and in her future life to walk this world with God.-Rev Thomas Guthrie, D.D. PRACTICAL PRAYER. In the vicinity of B—lived a poor but industrious man, depending for support upon his daily labour. His wife fell sick, and not being able to hire a nurse, he was obliged to confine himself to the sick-bed and the family. His means of support being cut off, he soon found himself in need. Having a wealthy neighbour near, he determined to go and ask for two bushels of wheat, with a promise to pay as soon as his wife became so much better that he could leave her and return to his work. Accordingly, he took his bag, went to his neighbour's, and arrived while the family were at morning prayers. As he sat on the door-stone, he heard the man pray very earnestly that God would clothe the naked, feed the hungry, relieve the distressed, and comfort all that mourn. The prayer concluded, the poor man stepped in and made known his business, promising to pay with the avails of his first labours. The farmer was very sorry he could not accommodate him, for he had promised to lend a large sum of money, and had depended upon wheat to make it out; but he presumed Neighbourwould let him have it. his With a tearful eye and a sad heart, the poor man turned away. As soon as he left the house, the farmer's little son stepped up and said, "Father, did you not pray that God would clothe the naked, feed the hungry, relieve the distressed, and comfort mourners ?" "Yes; why ?" "Because if I had your wheat, I would answer that prayer." It is needless to add that the Christian father called back his suffering neighbour, and gave him as much as he needed. Now, Christian readers, do you thus answer your own prayers? "SON, BE OF GOOD CHEER." "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."-MATT. ix. 2. Whether the sick man most desired or expected this forgiveness at the hand of Christ we cannot tell, but if he thought not of it, what a surprise of love! It is good coming to Jesus on any terms, upon any errand. They that seek pardon with sorrow will be sure to find it with joy; and they that find it without previous sorrow, shall yet be sure to find that sorrow for sin after pardon, if not before. And truly, it seems sweetest and kindliest when mercy melts the heart. Well may Christ say, "Be of good courage, thy sins are forgiven thee." What can dismay after this? The whole heart filled with divine peace and love, bears up all, and sorrow is turned into joy before a soul thus assured. But though this is great encouragement to sinners, it is no encouragement to sin. If thou bring thy sins to Jesus Christ, as thy malady and misery, to be cured of and delivered from, it is well; but to come with them as thy darlings and delight, thinking still to retain them and to receive him, is a gross mistake, a miserable delusion. The great intention of the blessed Jesus in the redemption he wrought, is to separate our hearts from sin.-Matthew Henry. HINTS ON PREACHING. A VERY celebrated Divine was in the habit of preaching so as to be rather beyond the comprehension of his hearers. A lady of his parish met him one day, and asked him what the duty of a shepherd was. "To feed his flock, of course," was the reply. Ought he then to place the hay so high that but few of the sheep can reach it?" A similar story is told of a Christian negro in America. "Well, Uncle Sam, how did you like the sermon to-day?" Well, Marsa Tom, the trut' of the bisnis is jes this: when I goes to church, I loves to see the preacher take the bread of life and break it up in little pieces, and then put these pieces on different shelves, some high and some low, so that the smallest child of CHRIST can get his piece, and the highest man of God can get his. Now when the Doctor preaches, he takes the whole loaf, and puts it away up yonder, where nobody can get it but himself, and some few, smart as he is." EJACULATORY PRAYER. EJACULATORY Prayer is the breath of the Christian,—his private passage to his hiding-place!-his express to heaven in times of emergency! The key of all his devotions to put them in tune! The Christian's sling-stone, which will break the power of temptations before the enemy ever is aware. It is the great secret where the great strength of the Christian lieth! And of all devotions it is the most convenient; the Christian should never be without this arrow on his bow. THE SIN OF DETRACTION. It would be well, if, when we cannot say any good of a person, we make it a matter of conscience to say no harm. A Clergyman once visited this spirit with a very salutary reproof. He had been inquiring whether a person who had recently settled in the neighbourhood, was very benevolent. A young lady replied to his inquiry, that she knew the person, and believed she was active among the poor, but, continued she, the worst of her "Stop," said the Clergyman, "I did not ask the worst of her, but the best of her." The young lady never forgot the reproof, and endeavoured afterwards to set a watch over the door of her lips. A GOOD ACTION. THREE things enter into the composition of a good action, scripturally so considered:-these are, a right PRINCIPLE, a right RULE, and a right END. The right principle is the love of God. In proof of the first, we quote 2 Cor. v. 14, 15., In proof of the third, 1 Cor. x. 31. Were mankind aware that such was a true definition of a good action, how few among them, one would imagine, could be found deliberately self-righteous and pharisaical; how few priding themselves in actions so destitute of all that can constitute them truly good! GOING HOME. "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."-1 THESS. iv. 13. "Unser Lieben sind geschieden." Our beloved have departed, Hush that sobbing, weep more lightly; To the rest that they have found, Are we not upon the river, Sailing fast to meet for ever, On more holy, happy ground? |