God,' he cries, 'who from the dead creation thus raises up life again in the spring time. Behold these branches, how strong, how beautiful they are! Already they teem, and are big with the fruit which they will bring forth. They offer a beautiful image of the resurrection of all men. The winter season represents death; the summer-tide the resurrection. Then all things live again, all is verdant.' It was a great solace to him-this garden. 'When Satan and his servants storm and rage,' he wrote to a friend, I laugh at him, and contemplate the garden, where I can enjoy the blessings of my Creator and sing His praise.'"

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

ALONE IN THE WORLD.

HIS is Saturday night-a wet, dirty, dark, and unpleasant work, and my lot being cast in a new district where I know no one, I felt as I walked out as though I was alone in the world. Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever-it is not so. I have here a study to myself-some good books-kind children-and not far hence a few real friends. How very thankful I ought to be. Lord! help me to adore, and confide in, and love thine holy name for ever. "ALONE IN THE WORLD!" No-never-if I am one with JESUS-then He is always near me; and when I can retire from all the world-when I can get quietly away from all the people; when I am, as now, shut in ALONE by myselfand can realise the sacred and secret presence of THE GREAT FRIEND of poor sinners, oh! then the moments are sweet; and meditation is better than all the bustle and buzz the world can give.

Sitting down, then, this Saturday night in my study, I took up a little book sent me by the author (the Rev. Frederick H. Knapp, Curate of Patrixbourne), having this inscription, "FAITHFUL WOUNDS." It is published at Nisbet's, and is a choice little

manual for thought and for encouragement, where the work of grace is in the heart begun.

The following closing paragraph may be cheering to some poor downcast sinner. God of heaven! make it a blessing, I secretly pray. Mr. Knapp says:

"Reader! are you lonely in the world? Does it seem a cold, hard hearted place to live in? Are you tired of its excitements and vain pleasures? Are you looking anxiously around for pardon, peace, rest, and true joy? Do you long for sympathy, pure, deep, and unselfish? Then look to Jesus; He is full of love for sinners; the same human heart, that when on earth loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus,' will love you; yea, does love you, and invites your confidence. He has said, 'Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you.' May the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, so awaken in your heart the throbbings of love to Him who so tenderly attracts you, that in God's own good time you may find Christ to be all in all to your soul, and may be able to appropriate the words of the hymn:

'I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down thy head upon my breast.
I came to Jesus as I was,-weary, and worn, and sad;

I found in Him a resting-place, and He has made me glad.'

"It may be that some who read these lines, from their hearts can say regarding this heavenly Friend, 'My beloved is mine, and I am His.' He is to me chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. If so, then the name of Jesus is very precious to you, even as ointment poured forth.' And I would ask, How are you manifesting your regard for His sacred person? Do you love to read of, hear of, talk of, hold communion with, and glorify Him? Is His honour very dear to you? Are you desirous that others should know and value Him? If this be so, let me be a sharer in your grateful joy. As children of God, and objects of His tender mercy, we already love and pray for one another, whatever our name, station, or country; being bound up in the 'bundle of life,' and sharers in covenant blessings,' we shall one day meet, and then, how loudly, purely, and joyfully

shall we sing the praises, excellencies, and glories of our true and heavenly Friend.

"One there is, above all others.

Well deserves the name of Friend;
His is love beyond a brother's,-
Costly, free, and knows no end;
They who once His kindness prove,
Find it everlasting love.

Which of all our friends, to save us,
Could, or would, have shed his blood
But our Jesus died to have us

Reconciled in Him to God;
His is boundless love indeed,
Jesus is a Friend in need.""

THE OLD TYPE-AND THE NEW TEMPLE.

HEN I left home this morning, I was, in spirit, low in a

Wow place. My family was preparing to leave the little

I

cottage where we have resided for three years; and to remove nearer to our chapel. This removal was not pleasant to me. felt inwardly rebellious; and very grieved. In the course of the day, "THE EARTHEN VESSEL" for April came into my hands, and looking over the contents of "The Table of Shewbread," I saw these words: "There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed;" and although I had no sensational feeling, yet there was a kind of laying these words in my mind -and they revived my spirits a little; and on coming home-on sitting down in my retired chamber-and on turning to my old Concordance I found them in Joshua xiii. 1., "Now Joshua was old, and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years; and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed."

My thoughts flowed directly in a spiritual channel-and if I describe them-or a few of them-it may lead others to think also. Well, I said to myself, "Yes! it is evident that there is very much land yet to be possessed." This is clear

First,-from our present imperfect state and condition: for, what are we actually in possession of, as yet? It is true we

have the great map-the Bible; but how little do we understand it! We have the Gospel; but how little do we realise its saving and sanctifying power! We have (by faith) the Glorious Purchaser and Proprietor of the land; but how weak the service we render to Him! In the graces of the HOLY SPIRIT, we have the first fruits of the heavenly country, but too many of us feel these fruits are not so manifest as gracious souls must, at times, desire. In an experimental point of view, there is much land to be possessed. Divide this land, experimentally, into seven portions; and see how much remains to be possessed. First: there is "Believing with the heart unto righteousness." How grand is the Old Testament record of this-in the days of Jehoshaphat a great multitude came against him. What did he do? He gathered the people-he set himself to seek the Lord-he proclaimed a fast-he honoured God,-and God's Spirit came upon Jahaziel; who assured them the Lord would fight for them-and then Jehoshaphat cried out: "Hear me, O Judah, believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper."

They went forth singing and praising the Lord; the Lord set ambushments against all their enemies; they smote one another, and not one escaped; but Judah gathered up their riches in great abundance. So in New Testament times, the apostles have gone forth crying to convicted hearts: "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Thousands have believed, and have found happiness in Jesus here, and holiness in heaven with Him for ever.

We possess this part of the land in some measure-but there is very much land yet to be possessed even here.

Secondly, There is the lot of "Confession." There is a twofold confession in Scripture. In Daniel ix. you get a good man's confession before the Lord: in Paul's first letter to Timothy you get the Saviour's confession before Pontius Pilate, where he witnessed a good confession. Look over those allotments, and see how far we have possession of them.

Thirdly,-There is a good hope: this part of the land we possess in some degree.

Fourthly, there is Love to God-His ways-and His people, which we have heard and talked about; but, as yet, we hardly seem to possess it.

Fifthly, there is ASSURANCE: a fine piece of land this! Surely, it was that which Caleb came and asked of Joshua when he was eighty-five years of age. It was Hebron, where Sarah died. Hebron, which grew into a kingdom where David reigned. Hebron, a formation of a company. So ASSURANCE is the place where the true believer dies-where we enter into good company; and where our spiritual David reigns for ever. How little of this land is yet in possession.

Sixthly,-Rejoicing land; and, lastly, the land of ENTIRE DEVOTION, are parts of the spiritual Canaan yet to be possessed by many. May the Lord speedily bring us into them!

The promises of God show you that there is much land yet to be possessed.

There was an old Baptist minister who was forty-six years over one place, and had a congregation of 600 or 700 persons, and was a blessing both to the church and neighbourhood. In that chapel was a member, a blacksmith, who had seven sons, six of whom became ministers; and I remember to have heard Mr. Gadsby say, he believed five of them were God-fearing men. They were settled over churches in Broomsgrove, Bridgenorth, and other large towns. I know that grace is not hereditary, but who shall say that God has not a right to call the children of God-fearing men? Well, this old minister once called on me; he was not very parsonic in his appearance; his hat was not worth more than half-a-crown; still he was not poor, but he lived amongst the poor, and his ministry was adapted to them. We sat together two hours; and I shall never forget all the things he said to me. Amongst other things he said, "Be sure you will be watched and belied; but never go finding and proving; lies go first, but truth follows after; and lifts up a bold front, which makes lies ashamed."