thine," all is comprised. Then, why do we not feel more ravished by these exceeding great and precious promises this feast of fat things well refined? Because still we see but in part. But he has promised to take away the face of the evening, and to swallow up death in victory, and to wipe away all tears. These promises are, in the storms of life, our ship's anchor; they make us to ride safely, without wrecking on the sands; they are, in this world's prosperity, the only white spread sails which, filled with the sweet breathings of the Spirit, triumphantly carry us on to the fair haven of everlasting rest. St. Paul, as if within sight of the shore, gives a joyful exclamation, as the longing mariner, when he beholds land: "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory ?" Oftentimes the poor believer thinks he has hardly faith enough to last one more day; scarce strength enough for one more prayer; scarce power enough for one more conflict; and then, oh his hopes must die, and he must give up the conflict for ever; but then, in the midst of all this darkness, breaks in a light, a glimmering from the better land, and this is the comfort and light of the promises. Let your soul go to these, as the bee to the flower. Extract your honey; your winter-days will need the sweetness. First, they will seem to you as the stars in the evening-one here and one there; but, by and bye, the night of life will come, and then the whole firmament will be clothed with such a countless multitude that your life will close serene and still. The strength of Israel cannot lie no word shall return unto him void. Abraham's promise that his seed should be as the stars of heaven-Abraham was 75 when this promise was made, 100 before Isaac was born. Isaac was 60 before his sons were born; Jacob 130 years old before he went into Egypt, and then 70 souls counted the number of Abraham's family; but when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied. Every promise has its time; therefore wait. The husbandman waiteth long. God's word is enough. when Ahab's granaries failed. door of life on God's word, which faith opens. The widow's meal and oil lasted ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. (From an old writer in 1710.) 66 When you go to pray, Thy will be done," consider what the prayer will cost thee! It is our Saviour's rule. When thou makest war, consider, first, whether thy thousands be able to encounter thine enemy and his thousands. When thou goest to pray, thou goest to make war with thine own will. Thou art going to prayer to subdue thy own will, and to set up the will of God. Say to thyself, "Suppose it should be the will of God to take away my estate, child, wife, life, His own presence; to expose me to ruin and desertion at the same time; have I such a treasury of charity and love, that I could finish this building of the will of God upon the ruins of my own will?" If prayer be the life of any work, it must be the whole work of thy life. See, then, the performance of your prayer in every providence, the will of God done; discern in every occurrence the effect of supreme goodness, of sweetness, wisdom-power at their height-these putting a glory upon each event, and making out thy blessedness by it. This will fill thee, not with patience only, but with praises. That which we are to pray for, next to the glory of God himself, is the manifestation of the glory of God in us, which is our holiness. This is the will of God concerning you, even your sanctification. Pray for patience. Sometimes this life is as a day which is covered with one great black cloud, big with a storm. Sometimes troubles are in it, like many little clouds coming continually before the face of the sun. However it be, pray that your Sun, your Saviour, would ever shine within, warmly and sweetly, that you may enjoy yourselves in him; that a cross may not divide you from yourself, because it doth not divide you from your Saviour. Especially, pray that God would not forsake you in your old age; that Jesus Christ withdraw not the sap of his strength and sweetness, when the strength and comforts of nature fail you. Pray that in this winter of old age to your outward man you may flourish upon high, and bring forth more abundant fruits of love and joy in the Spirit. Pray for such a prevailing of grace over your corruptions that you may not creep into heaven by the little wicket-door; so to speak, scarcely and with pain; but may have the great gates set open to you, to enter into the joys of the Lord with freedom, honour, and confidence. ་ Caution. Pray for outward things subordinately. St. John prays that his body may prosper as his soul prospered when he wrote to Gaius. The prosperity of your natural man is to be ruled by the prosperity of your better part, the new man. You are to pray for so much health as will stand with the life of grace in you. David says, "It was good for me that I was afflicted." You must pray for good things only, and you must measure the good of your body by the good of your soul. EXTRACTS. secret. Flavel says, "Who governs the secret and unseen part of your lives? Every man is in the sight of God exactly what he is in Who is your king in your closet? What are the rules by which your thoughts move? If you are in the fear of God alone, and make conscience of secret as well as public duties, then you are under Christ's government, and he is king of your soul. Who do you follow when it comes to a parting point between Christ and the world when you must cleave to the one, and forsake the other? Do you, with full purpose of heart, cleave to the Lord? Is it your firm resolution to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, through evil report, as well as good? or have you any the least secret reserve? Oh! if you have, then call out the traitor, and slay it before the cross of Christ; take the Saviour's livery, though it bring you to rags here, and you shall be clothed in a bright covering for ever and ever." An aged Christian, Lady H., Countess of W., thus writes to her friend: "It fares very singularly with me as it respects affliction. The more I experience its consequences and effects, the more precious it is to me. Nay, my spirit can often truly rejoice, when from all sides, sorrow on account of others, sorrow concerning my own affairs, bodily pain and oppression, and even in addition to these, inward abandonment and privation of comfort, both body and mind are so entirely cast down, that not a spark of light can penetrate the darkness. I then see, with regular pleasure, how the old man is mortified and humbled, and give my full consent to it, saying, 'Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.' But then, to show me that what preceded was a mere gift of grace, such a cowardly feeling and dread of the cross comes over me, that I am unable to bear the smallest suffering, and there is no end to my impatience. This is unspeakably humbling, but at the same time, a salutary feeling." The experimental knowledge of God is not dear at any price. Lavater, in his deepest sufferings, says, "I never ask why; I only ask for wisdom to understand God entirely. Oh, my friend, we are all yet standing at the threshold of the outer court. Oh, let us not rest, till we have penetrated into the sanctuary. Thank God, I still live; and thank God, I still suffer. As bitter as suffering is to the flesh, yet still the spirit feels it is praise-worthy grace. I often weep with pain, and say, 'Father, have mercy on me, thy unworthy servant,' and I weep at the same time, that such sufferings are vouchsafed to me. I suffer as a son of Adam. I rejoice as a Christian that trusts in God. Oh, my friend, how much does the Christian experience, which he dare not confide to the most Christian Christian, until it is over, till mute faith is crowned." ANNUAL RECEIPTS OF MISSIONARY, BIBLE, EDUCA- £ s. D. 3027 3 0 3202 4 9144 0 3 5377 10 11 Sunday School Union British and Foreign...111449 13 1 Edinburgh ............ French Protestant French and Foreign... Hibernian Merchant-Seamen's... MISSIONARY. 4781 15 10 American Board (Con 5279 4 11 gregational)......... 50868 14 3 569 11 5 American Baptist 15871 3 4 10 American Episcopal Naval and Military... 3264 6 ... 5177 16 11 8 American Methodist. 24362 17 11 American Presbyterian 12045 13 3 3604 2 8 Baptist 19334 11 10 .101197 0 0 1584 4 10 Church-of-Scotland... 7500 0 0 2642 0 0 Netherlands 91119 12 10 £ s. D. Scottish 4884 7 United Brethren...... 11987 17 Wesleyan .....................!! 92697 0 BAMEN'S. American Seamen's Friend......... British and Foreign Sailors' Destitute-Sailors' Asylum 9 American Colonization 2416 13 4 4 American Peace ...... 520 6 8 0 Brit, & For. Temperance 777 19 3 Christian Instruction. 1528 12 8 Christian Knowledge. 84937 2 6 2636 1 3 Church Pastoral-Aid. 16176 6 10 2725 16 7 Colonial Church Destitute-Sailors Home 5921 13 Church 7250 0 0 ...... 1601 6 7 250 0 1198 16 5 10 Hibernian (London). 10377 17 4 Irish Society of Lon 240 4 3 don and Dublin ... 4534 9 4 Irish Scripture Readers' 2470 19 0 London City Mission 3897 1 7 6 Lord's Day Observance 778 8 3 5 New British & Foreign American Tract ...... Temperance Peace 4 Reformation 59909 11 11 MISCELLANEOUS. African Civilization... 1044 16 0 AWFUL DEATH. 66 2400 0 0 882 6 0 1850 19 1 £989,454 4 4 died suddenly this morning. He may indeed be said to be cut down in the midst of his days. He belonged to that class of men, who glory in their strength, and say, My mountain standeth strong." "Soul, take thine ease; eat drink, and be merry." He was an acquaintance of ours, and had a great regard for Mr. W., but his religious creed was a truly melancholy one, a medley of socinianism and infidelity. About three weeks ago, he caused his furniture to be removed from one house to another, on the Sabbath, against the remonstrances of his friends, and to the annoyance of Mrs. W. After it was all over, he joked on having escaped unhurt, and said that God was kinder than the predictions of his Christian friends, and that he was now snugly settled down for a year. How true it was that God was then saying to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee!" Oh, that many who are living in the dreary void of unbelief, and who are insulting the majesty of heaven, may take warning, and turn them unto the Lord. A SERVANT A MISSIONARY. Mr. Taylor, a missionary at Belgaum, in India, relates the following anecdote. A gentleman's servant, while travelling with his master from |