thought of this time strikes more home to us than at that which presents to us the solemn question, "A New Year has dawned upon me; shall I ever see its close ?" Dear reader, God grant that we may; if not, may ours be the experience of the student when he shut his book; may gladness be our portion in the prospect of eternity, and may we, with those who are so blessed as to be able to take to themselves the name of Christian, look up with joy to that inheritance prepared for all who wait for their Lord, and love His appearing. To such we may indeed not only wish a Happy New Year, but also feel sure that a Happy New Year must be theirs; for come weal or come woe, as the world interprets these words, there is to the child of God but one interpretation of God's dealings with him, and that interpretation is embodied in the Psalm of the sweet singer of Israel: "Surely goodness and mercy shall (mark, it shall, without a doubt) follow me all the days of my life." Common Sayings. 66 NO. VI.—“ QUITE BY CHANCE.” LITTLE girl, just recovered from an illness, was walking in the garden with her mother, and begged to be allowed to go into the stable for a minute to see a favourite pony. Permission was given, and she went, promising to return quickly. Finding she did not do so, her mother sent the groom to hasten her. He entered the stable, but only in time to lift his little mistress from the ground, and to see and hear her draw her last breath. A kick from the pony, which evidently had not recognised the child, had suddenly deprived her of life. "How unfortunate that she should have expressed such a wish! What a strange chance !" said some who heard of the sad event. 1 Psa. xxiii. 6. Some young people were amusing themselves with a rhyming game; but one of the party, a youth in naval uniform, kept aloof, and when asked why he did not join them, replied that his wrist pained him, and he could not write. In a fortnight he was to join his ship; but the apparently slight injury his wrist had sustained increased so seriously that illness supervened, and, to his bitter disappointment, the ship had to sail without him. But soon his chagrin was turned into thankfulness, for the ship was wrecked. "And he, too, might have been lost," said some, "only, quite by chance, he was prevented from going the voyage that time." Pages might be filled with similar instances; but these will suffice. It has been truly said, "The walking this way or that, the casual stopping or hastening, hath saved life and destroyed it, hath cast down and built up fortunes.' To imagine that an event, however apparently unimportant, happens by chance-that is, without the knowledge, or rather the pre-arrangement, of God-is to suppose that there are times when He sleeps. Man certainly must recruit his strength by means of sleep, and during the period of his unconsciousness much may take place of which he knows nothing; but "the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary." His ear is never closed, His eye never sleeps; so that even in our most helpless moments nothing can happen to us by "chance." Who does not, in looking back upon the circumstances of his past life, see that many an event which appeared at the time so trivial as not to deserve notice was in reality a very important link in the chain of circumstances which have since occurred? A passing introduction, perhaps, to one whom we never expected to meet again, but whose acquaintance, renewed, has exercised a powerful influence over our life. It could have been no 'chance," then, which threw him in our way. 66 In the life of each one of us, in the lives of those around us, and in the Bible itself, what numerous instances we find of a simple action leading on to great events or consequences, and showing how, not chance, but God's overruling hand, directed that apparently trifling action. Was it "quite by chance" that Rebecca set forth, in all simplicity, carrying her pitcher to the spot where Abraham's faithful servant was praying that the Lord would direct him in his choice of a wife for Isaac? Was it "quite by chance" that on a certain night King Ahasuerus was sleepless, and that, to beguile the weary hours, his attendants read the chronicles that told of the conspiracy against his life which Mordecai had discovered? Did "chance" lead the woman of Samaria to the well where she met the Saviour, and heard from Him of the "living water?" Many a time had Simon and Andrew stood fishing on the shores of the Sea of Galilee; but was it " quite by chance" that they were casting in a net at the moment when Jesus passed by, and gave them the call which transformed them into His followers for life and death? No; all these events were foreordained and arranged, so as to carry out the purposes of God; yet not more so than are the events of our every-day lives, little as we are apt to believe that it is so. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place," therefore they see whatever occurs; and to suppose that in His presence anything happens by what we call " chance," is to imagine that He is either inattentive to what is passing or utterly indifferent. We seldom fail to acknowledge God's hand in the great events of life; but why should we not do so in all ? If an earthquake lays waste the greater part of some city, we lament the loss of life and property, and talk of "the mys terious dealings of Providence," thereby owning that this terrible calamity was from God's hand; but if a little child wanders from its cottage home into the road, and is run over by a passing vehicle, we say, perhaps, how unfortunate that the poor child "chanced" to stray just at that moment. Yet if that terrible earthquake was permitted in order to startle men into an acknowledgment of an overruling Power, may not that more private calamity have been permitted by God, in order to show to some unduly fond parent that the Lord, who "gave," can also "take away," when it is His sovereign will to do so? This lesson, then, was not learned by "chance." If a storm sweeps over the land, and the lightning strikes with death here and there, men do not dare ascribe it to chance; but we too often venture to do so if, for instance, a person is drowned whilst bathing, or is fatally injured by a fall, or other accident. Yet can it be "quite by chance" that a soul-whether prepared or not— is sent into eternity? No; He who created that soul has watched over every event connected with it since it entered this world, and nothing can happen to it unpermitted by its Maker. But some, who cannot bring themselves to declare openly that a thing has happened "quite by chance," nevertheless indulge (unknown to themselves, perhaps) the same sentiment under another aspect. Who that has been visited by some affliction has not embittered that grief still farther by ascribing it to second causes, instead of tracing the hand of God in every circumstance of the trial? "If I had but done so and so, this need not have happened." "If I had but taken better precaution, my affairs would now have been more prosperous." “Had I watched over the symptoms of disease more anxiously, my child would not have died." What are all these reflections on second causes but a disposition to refer the course of events to chance, instead of believing that every circumstance is ordered by a loving Father? In every perplexity and sorrow let us seek His guidance, and act up to the best of our belief of what is right, and then leave the event in His hands. He will let nothing happen to His immortal creatures but by His permission. He who notices even the sparrow's fall will not suffer us to be the victims of." chance ;" for in His sight we are 66 of more value than many sparrows." 66 Oh, then, let us cast all our care on Him who cares for us!" Well may we do so-well may we believe that every event in our lives is not only wisely but lovingly ordered by our heavenly Father. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things ?" Have you accepted that gift-God's own Son? If you have done so, God's promise stands sure, that He will-WITH HIM-"freely give us all things." To the Christian, therefore, "all things" come from his Father's hand; even to the minutest event in his life, all is ordered by wisdom and love. The worldly man will not believe this, and persists in ascribing the circumstances of his life to chance; but he who has taken the Lord for his Shepherd will "fear no evil," and he who has taken Christ for his Saviour will trust Him for time as well as eternity. Nearer to Me. "A people near unto Him." "N EARER to Me!" "Made nigh." "Draw me." Poor soul! is that thy cry? I hear my Spirit's promptings in the sigh; I see into the depths of thy faint heart, Nearer to Me. In answer to thy breathing I draw nigh; Keep thine eye ever upwards, pray and wait; |