REMARKABLE SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. THE LORD who takes care of every sparrow that chirps on the house top, or hops in the bush, has a heart full of love for each one of us. Not only because we are of more value than many sparrows, for his tender mercies are over all his works; but because we are unwise, and our folly, if we were unguided by his hand, would lead us into evil. He wishes our welfare every moment of our being, and while we are continually, through ignorance, destroying it, he overrules our course so as to secure it for our good. Sometimes his interposition is manifest, and we notice it clearly; but more often he conceals his hand of kindness, while he holds out to us his gifts. Yet we need never be mistaken as to the Giver; let us, in every good that we receive, give thanks to our Heavenly Father, for we know that it comes only from Him. The providence which has furnished your daily bread to-day has perhaps been silent in its working, and obscure to your sight. And yet you have much occasion to be thankful. The sailor whose voyage across the ocean is prosperous and pleasant, should find in this even greater cause for gratitude than one who in the wreck of his ship escapes narrowly from perishing. It is an authentic fact that during the terrible popish massacre in Paris, in which many eminent christians were cruelly killed; the celebrated preacher, Peter Moulin, was preserved for further usefulness to the cause of the gospel in a most remarkable manner. He crept into a brick oven to conceal himself, but had little hope of remaining undiscovered in the ferreting search for slaughter that was carried on. In the kind providence of God, a spider immediately crawled to the opening of the good man's retreat, and wove a web across it. The dust blew upon the airy screen, and made it dingy; so that the place appeared to have been long unfrequented. The enemies of the christians soon passed by, and one of them carelessly remarked, "No one could have been in that oven for several days!" What a touching idea does this incident give of our Father's protecting love for his children! An anecdote similar in character is related of Mr. Churchill, a native of England who had taken up his abode in India, about two miles from Vizagapatam. Soon after sunset, on one occasion, while he was sitting in his dwelling, of which the outerdoor was thrown open, meditating with deep sorrow upon the recent loss of his wife, and the helplessness of his little children, 1 REMARKABLE SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. who were lying asleep near him, he was suddenly thrilled with terror, to observe a monstrous tiger cross the threshold of bis house, and enter the room, with glaring eyes and a ferocious howl. But the animal caught sight of his own full-sized image reflected in a large mirror opposite the door, and rushing at it with all his fury, breaking it into a thousand fragments, he suddenly turned and fled from the spot. Thus providentially did God preserve two little children and their father from the jaws of a wild beast! Less thrilling, but not less remarkable, is the incident related in the following epitaph, which is copied from a tomb near Port Royal in the isle of Jamaica. "Here lieth the body of Louis Caldy, a native of Montpelier, in France, which country he left on account of the revocation. He was swallowed up by the earthquake which occurred in this place in 1692, but, by the great providence of God, was by a second shock flung into the sea, where he continued swimming till rescued by a boat, and lived forty years afterward." It is said of John Knox, the great Scottish Reformer, who had many friends and many enemies, that it was his frequent custom, while in his own house, to sit at the head of a table, with his back to the window. On one evening, however, he would not take his usual seat, and gave a positive command that no one of his family should occupy it. He took another chair in a different part of the room; and shortly afterward, a gun was fired, the bullet of which passed through the favourite window, grazed the top of his vacant seat, and shattered the candlestick that stood upon his table! This was not the only wonderful escape he had from his malicious and determined foes. In the Bartholomew massacre, which we have already mentioned, at the order of the King of France, the Admiral de Coligny was put to death in his own house. His chaplin, the pious Merlin, fled from the murderers, who designed also to take his life, and hid himself in a loft of hay. After the days of blood were over, and the Protestants were suffered to keep their lives and their religion, a Synod was convened of which he was moderator. In this assembly, when it was stated that many who had taken refuge in similar retreats perished from starvation, he was asked how he contrived to keep himself alive. He replied-giving thanks to God while he said it that a hen had laid an egg every day during his concealment, in a nest which he could reach with his hand! REMARKABLE. SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. The celebrated Dr. Calamy, in his "Life and Times," relates that he knew a sea-captain named Stevens, of Harwich, England, who was once, by a wonderful providence, preserved from drowning, together with all his crew. While on a homeward passage from Holland, the vessel sprang a leak, and the water gained in the hold so rapidly that, in spite of the pumps, which were worked with the energy of despair, all on board soon gave themselves up for lost. Suddenly, however, and to the surprise of all, the water ceased to gain in depth, and the pumps being again plied, the ship safely reached her harbour. After her arrival it was discovered, on examination, that the body of a fish had become so firmly wedged in the leak, that it could with difficulty be taken out whole! It is of but little consequence, though it is an established fact, that the fish was preserved in alcohol, and kept as a curiosity in the family of Captain Stevens. In view of these striking instances of Divine Providence, how can we think of our Father in heaven and not be touched with the thought of that tender love which leads him to take such wonderful care of his children. Truly, we may "cast all care upon him, for he careth for us." How beautifully appropriate, after reading these incidents do those words of our blessed Lord appear-" Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment! Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed ? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek :) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." HOPE AND FAITH. A swallow in the spring Came to our granary, and 'neath the eaves Day after day she toil'd With patient art; but ere her work was crown'd She found the ruin wrought; Yet, not cast down, forth from her place she flew, But scarcely had she placed The last soft feather on its ample floor, When wicked bands, or chance, again laid waste, But still her heart she kept, And toil'd again; and, last night hearing calls, What truth is here, O Man! Hath Hope been smitten in its earlier dawn? R. S. A. ANECDOTES AND SELECTIONS. Anecdotes and Selections. WHITEFIELD'S EXPERIENCE. He said;-" When I was sixteen years of age, I began to fast twice a week for thirty-six hours together, prayed many times a day, received the sacrament every Lord's-day, fasting myself almost to death all the forty days of Lent, during which I made it a point of duty never to go less than three times a day to public worship, besides seven times a day to my private prayers, yet I knew no more that I must be born again of God, born a new creature in Christ Jesus, than if I was never born at all. I had a mind to be on the stage, but then I had a qualm of conscience; I used to ask people, Pray can I be a player, and yet go to the sacrament and be a christian ? O, said they, such an one who is a player goes to the sacrament!' Well then, said I, if that be the case I will be a player, and I thought to act my part to the devil as well as any one; but, blessed be God, he stopped me in my journey.' I must bear testimony to my old friend Mr. Charles Wesley; he put a book into my hands, called, "The Life of God in the Soul of Man,' whereby God showed me that I must be born again or be damned. How did my heart arise and shudder, like a poor tradesman that is afraid to look into his account books lest he should find himself a bankrupt! Shall I burn that book? shall I put it by? or shall I search into it? I did, and holding the book in my hand, thus addressed the God of heaven and earth: Lord, if I am not a christian, if I am not a real one, Lord God for Jesus Christ's sake, show me what christianity is, that I may not be damned at last!' I read a little further and the cheat was discovered. Says the author, "They that know anything of religion, know it is a vital union with the Son of God, Christ formed in the heart. O, what a ray of divine light did then break in upon my poor soul! I fell to writing to all my brethren, to my sisters, talked to the students as they came into my room, put off all trifling conversation, put away all trifling books, and from that moment God has been carrying on his blessed work in my soul." MR. J. GRIFFYTH, or CARNARVON, was eminent in his day as a preacher of Jesus Christ in Wales he had "power with God," and he had "power with men." Mr. Griffyth was to preach one evening at a farm house, and requested to retire to a private room, before the service commenced, where he remained sometime after the congregation had assembled. As there was no sign of the preacher making his appearance, the farmer sent the servant to inform him that the people were waiting. On approaching the door she heard what she supposed to be a conversation carried on by two persons |