with rags, stiff with dirt, and infested with vermin; while around the dying mothers crouched alike their sick and their well children. Still more deplorable, however, was the state of the labourers' dwellings in the town, where frequently six families, numbering twenty or thirty men and women, girls and boys, sick and well, all half-naked, were huddled together in a small noisome room, on dirty straw scattered on the unboarded damp mud floor. Perished with cold, devoured by vermin, and almost starved, haunted by the phantasies of typhus, or moaning with the pain of frostbites, cursing God, and the world, and themselves, or lying in obstinate silence, every one of them expected but one deliverer-Death! My heart stood still when first I entered those pestholes; I never saw such human misery!' remarked Anna afterwards." The local authorities looked on these appalling scenes unconcerned. Though the people died and spread infection through the country, the official magnates scarcely considered the calamity to be any business of theirs. Otherwise thought the Johanniters and the deaconesses. Hospital wards were prepared by the knights, beds and other necessary articles by the ladies. This occurred in the opening of 1868, and after staying on the scene nearly a fortnight, the Countess returned to " 'Bethany," to send other helpers to join those left behind at Rhein but her life-work was done. She had been enabled to risk her all in the highest service, and now she was to be called upon to lay down her very life. The fever-poison having been imbibed, death set his seal upon this great woman, and she died on the 16th of February. She shrank from human praise, and with some of her last words ascribed to borrowed strength the success achieved. "No, no," she cried, "it was all grace. Here lies a poor sinner who has been made happy by a great ransom." Perhaps such a funeral as hers was never before seen in Berlin. "King William with his own hand laid a shining laurel crown next the maiden myrtle wreath which lay upon the black-cloth-covered coffin of her who had been the self-sacrificing nurse of his wounded soldiers in war, and of his sick subjects in peace. The Queens, Augusta and Elizabeth, added to the laurel of bravery and renown the white roses and camellias of love, and when the hundreds of highborn mourners had passed away from the peaceful churchyard, there entered very timidly many, many of the poor to cast secretly on the quiet form a modest wreath of snowdrops, a little spray of rosemary, or the one little bud from the flower-pot in the window at home." Celebrities in the army, the church, and the State crowded around the bier. There, too, were the deaconesses of "Bethany," and their allies, the Johanniters. It was a scene to weep over and to rejoice over. It was the finishing of a life-work which all can emulate by doing what they can. Covering the remains of one thus devoted, the tombstone of the Countess fitly points the stranger to this Scripture: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin." A Courteous Tutor. (ENTREMETS.-No. 10.) N the sixteenth century there lived a certain schoolmaster who schoolroom. On being questioned about this studied politeness, the tutor replied, "In future years these lads will be the doctors, the chancellors, the electors, the senators, and the rulers of Germany and of the world; and conscious of their coming greatness, I bow courteously to them now." Luther was a scholar in that school. Politeness, which never risks loss, will always bring us honour. Exposition of the Psalms. BY C. H. SPURGEON. PSALM LXXXVII. TITLE. A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. A sacred hymn and a national lyric. A theocracy blends the religious and the patriotic ideas in one; and in proportion as nations become Christianized, their popular songs will become deeply imbued with pious sentiments. Judged by this standard, our own land is far in arrears. This" psalm or song” was either composed by the sons of Korah, or dedicated to them: as they kept the doors of the house of the Lord, they could use this beautiful composition as a psalm within the doors, and as a song outside. SUBJECT AND DIVISION.-The song is in honour of Zion, or Jerusalem, and it treats of God's favour to that city among the mountains, the prophecies which made it illustrious, and the honour of being a native of it. Many conceive that it was written at the founding of David's city of Zion, but does not the mention of Babylon imply a later date? It would seem to have been written after Jerusalem and the Temple had been built, and had enjoyed a history, of which glorious things could be spoken. Among other marvels of God's love in its later history, it had been untouched by Sennacherib when other cities of Israel and Judah had fallen victims to his cruelty. It was in Hezekiah's reign that Babylon became prominent, when the ambassadors came to congratulate the king concerning his recovery, at that time also Tyre would be more famous than at any period in David's day. But as we have no information, and the point is not important, we may leave it, and proceed to meditate upon the psalm itself. We have no need to divide so brief a song. EXPOSITION. IS foundation is in the holy mountains. HIS 2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. 4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that knew me behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. 5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her and the highest himself shall establish her. 6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. 7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee. 1. "His foundation is in the holy mountains." The psalm begins abruptly, the poet's heart was full, and it gained vent on a sudden. "God's foundation stands for ever On the holy mountain towers; Sion's gates Jehovah favours More than Jacob's thousand bowers." Sudden passion is evil, but bursts of holy joy are most precious. God has chosen to found his earthly temple upon the mountains; he might have selected other spots, but it was his pleasure to have his chosen abode upon Zion. His election made the mountains holy; they were by his determination ordained and set apart for the Lord's use. The foundation of the church, which is the mystical Jerusalem, is laid in the eternal, immutable, and invincible decrees of Jehovah. He wills that the church shall be, he settles all arrangements for her calling, salvation, maintenance, and perfection, and all his attributes, like the mountains round about Jerusalem, lend their strength for her support. Not on the sand of carnal policy, nor in the morass of human kingdoms, has the Lord founded his church, but on his own power and godhead, which are pledged for the establishment of his beloved church, which is to him the chief of all his works. What a theme for meditation is the founding of the church of God in the ancient covenant engagements of eternity: the abrupt character of this first verse indicates long consideration on the part of the writer, leading up to his bursting forth in wonder and adoration. Well might such a theme cause his heart to glow. Rome stands on her seven hills, and has never lacked a poet's tongue to sing her glories, but more glorious far art thou, O Ziona, among the eternal mountains of God: while pen can write or mouth can speak, thy praises shall never lie buried in inglorious silence. 2. “ The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” The gates are put for the city itself. The love of God is greatest to his own elect nation, descended from his servant Jacob, yet the central seat of his worship is dearer still; no other supposable comparison could have so fully displayed the favour which Jehovah bore to Jerusalem,-he loves Jacob best and Zion better than the best. At this hour the mystical teaching of these words is plain. God delights in the prayers and praises of Christian families and individuals, but he has a special eye to the assemblies of the faithful, and he has a special delight in their devotions in their church capacity. The great festivals, when the crowds surrounded the temple gates, were fair in the Lord's eyes, and even such is the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven. This should lead each separate believer to identify himself with the church of God: where the Lord reveals his love the most, there should each believer most delight to be found. Our own dwellings are very dear to us, but we must not prefer them to the assemblies of the saints; we must say of the church "Here my best friends, my kindred dwell: 3. "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." This is true of Jerusalem. Her history, which is the story of the nation of which she is the capital, is full of glorious incidents, and her use and end as the abode of the true God, and of his worship, was preeminently glorious. Glorious things were taught in her streets, and seen in her temples. Glorious things were foretold of her, and she was the type of the most glorious things of all. This is yet more true of the church: she is founded in grace, but her pinnacles glow with glory. Men may glory in her without being braggarts; she has a lustre about her brow which none can rival. Whatever glorious things the saints may say of the church in their eulogies, they cannot exceed what prophets have foretold, what angels have sung, or what God himself has declared. Happy are the tongues which learn to occupy themselves with so excellent a subject; may they be found around our fire-sides, in our market-places, and in all the spots where men most congregate. Never let thy praises cease, O thou bride of Christ, thou fairest among women, thou in whom the Lord himself hath placed his delight, calling thee by that pearl of names, Hephzibah,-" for my delight is in her." Since the Lord has chosen thee, and deigns to dwell in thee, O thou city of beauty, none can rival thee; thou art the eye of the world, the pearl, the queen of all the cities of the universe; the true "eternal city," the metropolitan, the mother of us all. The years to come shall unveil thy beauties to the astonished eyes of all peoples, and the day of thy splendour shall come to its sevenfold noon. "Selah." With the prospect before him of a world converted, and the most implacable foes transformed into friends, it was meet that the psalmist should pause. How could he sing the glories of new-born Tyre and Ethiopia, received with open arms into union with Zion, until he had taken breath and prepared both voice and heart for so divine a song? 4. "I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me." This shall be a glorious subject to speak of concerning Zion, that her old foes are new-born and have become her friends, worshipping in the temple of her God. Rahab or Egypt, which oppressed Israel, shall become a sister nation, and Babylon, in which the tribes endured their second great captivity, shall become a fellow-worshipper; then shall there be mention made in familiar talk of the old enmities forgotten and the new friendships formed. Some consider that these are the words of God himself, and should be rendered, "I will mention Rahab and Babylon as knowing me:" but we feel content with our common version, and attribute the words to the psalmist himself, who anticipates the conversion of the two great rival nations and speaks of it with exultation. “Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia." These also are to bow before the Lord. Philistia shall renounce her ancient hate, Tyre shall not be swallowed up by thoughts of her commerce, and distant Ethiopia shall not be too far off to receive the salvation of the Lord. "This man was born there." The word man is inserted by the translators to the marring of the sense, which is clear enough when the superfluous word is dropped,-" Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopa; this was born there"-i.e., this nation has been born into Zion, regenerated into the church of God. Of the new births of nations we will make mention, for it is at once a great blessing and a great wonder. It is a glorious thing indeed when whole nations are born unto God. 66 "Mark ye well Philistia's legions, Lo, to seek the Lord they come; Tyre and Cush have found a home." Many understand the sense of these verses to be that all men are proud of their native country, and so also is the citizen of Zion, so that while one of it said, he was born in Egypt," and of another, "he came from Ethiopia," it would be equally to the honour of others that they were home-born sons of the city of God. The passage is not so clear that any one should become dogmatical as to its meaning, but we prefer the interpretation given above. 5. "And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her." Not as nations only, but one by one, as individuals, the citizens of the New Jerusalem shall be counted, and their names publicly declared. Man by man will the Lord reckon them, for they are each one precious in his sight; the individual shall not be lost in the mass, but each one shall be of high account. What a patent of nobility is it, for a man to have it certified that he was born in Zion; the twice-born are a royal priesthood, the true aristocracy, the imperial race of men. The original, by using the noblest word for man, intimates that many remarkable men will be born in the church, and indeed every man who is renewed in the image of Christ is an eminent personage, while there are some who, even to the dim eyes of the world, shine forth with a lustre of character which cannot but be admitted to be unusual and admirable. The church has illustrious names of prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, reformers, missionaries, and the like, which bear comparison with the grandest names honoured by the world, nay, in many respects far excel them. Zion has no reason to be ashamed of her sons, nor her sons of her. "Wisdom is justified of her children." "And the highest himself shall establish her"-the only establishment worth having. When the numbers of the faithful are increased by the new birth, the Lord proves himself to be the upbuilder of the church. The Lord alone deserves to wear the title of Defender of the Faith; he is the sole and sufficient Patron and Protector of the true church. There is no fear for the Lord's heritage, his own arm is sufficient to maintain his rights. The Highest is higher than all those who are against us, and the good old cause shall triumph over all. 6. "The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there." At the great census which the Lord himself shall take, he will number the nations without exception and make an exact registry of them, whether they were by their natural descent Babylonians or Tyrians, or other far-off heathen. May it be our happy lot to be numbered with the Lord's chosen both in life and death, in the church-roll below, and in the church-roll above. Jehovah's census of his chosen will differ much from ours; he will count many whom we should have disowned, and he will leave out many whom we should have reckoned. His registration is infallible. Let us pray then for that adoption and regeneration which will secure us a place among the heaven-born. It was thought to be a great honour to have one's name written in the golden book of the Republic of Venice; kings and princes paid dearly for the honour, but the book of life confers far rarer dignity upon all whose names are recorded therein. 7. In vision the psalmist sees the citizens of Zion rejoicing at some sacred festival, and marching in triumphant procession with vocal and instrumental music;"As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there." Where God is there must be joy, and where the church is increased by numerous conversions the joy becomes exuberant and finds out ways of displaying itself. Singers and dancers, psalmists and pipers, united their efforts and made a joyful procession to the temple, inspired not by Bacchus, or by the Castalian fount, but by draughts from the sacred source of all good, of which they each one sing, "All my springs are in thee." Did the poet mean that henceforth he would find all his joys in Zion, or that to the Lord he would look for all inspiration, comfort, strength, joy, life and everything? The last is the truest doctrine. Churches have not such all-sufficiency within them that we can afford to look to them for all, but the Lord who founded the church is the eternal source of all our supplies, and looking to him we shall never flag or fail. How truly does all our experience lead us to look to the Lord by faith, and say, All my fresh springs are in thee." The springs of my faith and all my graces; the springs of my life and all my pleasures; the springs of my activity and all its right doings; the springs of my hope and all its heavenly anticipations, all lie in thee, my Lord. Without thy Spirit I should be as a dry well, a mocking cistern, destitute of power to bless myself or others. O Lord, I am assured that I belong to the regenerate, whose life is in thee, for I feel that I cannot live without thee; therefore with all thy joyful people will I sing thy praises. 66 "With joy shall sing the choral train, The minstrels breathe the answering strain: O Zion, Zion fair, I see The fountains of my bliss in thee."" W E have given an engraving of Victoria Chapel in the Wandsworth Road, hoping it may interest our friends. The London Baptist Association voted £1,000 towards this project, and a few friends at the Tabernacle purchased the freehold ground and presented it to the pastor. The chapel was built by Mr. Higgs at cost price, or less, and the pastor has now put the building in trust with a debt of £1,500 upon it, which the congregation will be sure to pay off. Our beloved friend Mr. Henderson, of our college, has met with a most encouraging measure of success during the first three months, and the nucleus of a very useful church has been gathered. We thank God and take courage. Would to God that in this vast city we could build a hundred such places, for they would soon be filled. |