of memory. For then we shall rememberremember without any effort, any mistake, any omission-the way in which the Lord our God has led us so many years in the wilderness. What a retrospect will that be! The light of eternity will shine on the records of the past, and each page of our life will be clear and legible. And we shall read them without pain or regret. In this world the recollection of by-gone days is often fraught with much that is sorrowful. Scenes and events come back to our thoughts, on which we dare not dwell, and which we would fain forget. But it will not be so above. Perfect and vivid as that mental glance which shall survey our journey through life, from the cradle to the grave, will unquestionably prove, it will be accompanied by so deep and augmented an acquaintance with the loving providence of our heavenly Father, and by such sweet and entire submission to his will, as will render it impossible for the remembrances to awaken the slightest emotion of grief in our hearts. Or rather, it will furnish us with such accumulated and varied proofs of God's tenderness and care, as will fill our spirits with grateful adoration. Oh, as we recall with accurate minuteness the circumstances of our earthly history, we shall see enough of God's marvellous wisdom and loving-kindness to excite our praise throughout all eternity.

H

Instead, then, of lamenting over our present infirmity, let us endeavour to realize that freedom from all imperfection, and those superior mental faculties which we shall enjoy in a future state. We are now drawing near to the land of perpetual youth and vigour. The weakened intellect, the declining strength, the failing memory, these are tokens that it will not be very long before our weary spirits are at rest.

A poor aged widow-poor in this world's wealth, but rich in faith-in reply to the kind inquiry of her minister after her health, replied with cheerfulness, "What cause I have to be thankful! how many at my age are confined to their beds, while I am able to be about and clean my own house. I hope I may have my faculties to the last."

"You find, I dare say," he remarked, "that this earthly house of your tabernacle is being dissolved now one pin is taken down, now another; now this part melts away, now that." "Yes, sir, I do indeed find that my poor old body is very weak; often when I only walk across the room, I am extremely giddy; and my memory almost fails me. Sometimes I get up and go into the other room to fetch something which I want, and when I come there, I stand, and have quite forgotten for what I came."

"You remember, perhaps, what took place

when you were a girl, far more distinctly than what you heard or saw only last week?"

"Oh yes, sir; it seems to me but a few days since I was a girl; my father lived at the mill, and I remember how I used to go into the fields, and have many a game there with my little playfellows."

"Well, my dear friend, memory generally seems to be the first faculty which is taken from the aged; and God thus reminds them to forget those things which are behind, and to reach forth to those things which are before. He prevents their looking back, in order that they may learn to look forward.'

Let us all "look forward ;" and as we muse on the glorious realities of heaven, can we murmur that we should forget the fading things of earth? Is it not well, that the nearer we are to the joys of eternity, the less vivid and perceptible appear the vanities of time? A mist has gathered over the scenes of earth, but everlasting sunshine is about to break forth.

THROUGH the brief, and sometimes sorrowful walk of life, thou, O Saviour, hast been our companion and friend. Thy presence has cheered us; thy word has instructed us; and thy sympathy has consoled us. How delightful has been our intercourse with thee! the remembrance of it is very precious to us. And now that it is towards evening, and the day is far spent, depart not from us. "Cast us not off in the time of old age, forsake us not when our strength faileth;" for we cannot do without thee. When thou art absent, our comfort declines, our hopes are enfeebled, and we sadly mistake the designs of thy providence. Converse with thee is absolutely essential to our peace of mind, and our growth in grace. Then come and abide with us. "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. ""* Oh, fulfil in our experience so gracious and so marvellous a promise. The door of our hearts is thrown

Isa. lvii. 15.

wide open, that thou mayest enter, and take up thine abode there for ever. Oh, abide with us. If thou seemest as if thou wert going further, it is only to increase the ardour of our desires, and to strengthen the fervency of our petition. Suffer us, then, O gracious Saviour, to plead with thee to beseech thee, with an importunity that admits of no denial, that thou wilt stay with us, and bless us. Like the patriarch of old, let us have power with thee, and prevail.

"Abide with us." We are ignorant and erring creatures, and need that thou shouldest remain with us as our Teacher. Long have our names been enrolled as thy disciples; and varied and repeated have been thy gentle and wise instructions; but we want to know more— much more of thee and of thy gospel. There are difficulties which we desire to have removed; duties of which we are anxious to be reminded; promises which we long to have unfolded to us. Alas, how little do we yet understand the mystery of godliness; how feeble and unworthy is our estimate of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. Thou mightest indeed justly reproach us with our dulness of apprehension, and with our slowness of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; for we have not made half the progress which we might and ought to have made in the study of thy truth. Instead of being now prepared to