THE ANGEL'S MISSION. It is not in me; and when the deep said, It is not in me; the heavens sent forth their richest treasure. He who was the glory of the heavens veiled his glory, that by his atoning sufferings he might save a multitude whom no man can number of the perishing inhabitants of this earth. "God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to men their trespasses;" binding them to himself in an everlasting covenant; sealing them with the Holy Spirit of promise; and raising them at last to blessedness, far above their highest wish, and permanent as the Source from which it flows. He who can look up to God as his Father and Friend, beholds with greater delight the beauty of creation, and the happiness enjoyed by countless myriads of the inferior animals, however minute many of them may be. Even the beautiful little Beröe, which sparkles amidst the waves, is beheld by him with interest and with some degree of affection, when he remembers that his heavenly Father made it, sustains it, and has so adorned it with prismatic radiance, that, like a floating fragment of the covenant-bow, it seems, "The hand that though mute, expressively to say: made me is divine." Our attention was drawn to this little Beröe by the occasional iridescence of portions of its body, and particularly of the tiny paddles or ciliæ, sparkling under the rays of the sun. It was the brilliant sun that rendered them radiant. Beautiful as they are, they have no radiance of their own. Their sweet beams are borrowed. Their light comes from on high-from the sun, God's treasure-house of light. Oh! should not we remember that it is only when we reflect the beams of a better sun-the Sun of Righteousness-that we can at all be said to shine? We are all darkness, and walk in darkness, till the day dawns, and the day-star arises, and from the Fountain of light and life, life and light are given to us. "Wherefore, awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." Let us court the beams of this blessed light; for if we reflect their splendour as we journey through the wilderness, we shall shine as the jewels of Christ's crown in our Father's kingdom above. shine. Another thing struck me. Though the sun was shining, there were some of the Beröes that did not Those that reflected the light from their spangled sides were easily observed; but the others, being nearly the colour of the water in which they floated, would not have been observed by us had it not been for the shadow which, little opaque as they were, was formed on the sand at the bottom. Now, here were beautiful creatures, with organs fitted to reflect the light, but, somehow, they received not the beams that were illuminating those around them. Is not this the case with many human beings? They may be endowed with noble talents-they may have the form of godliness-they may sit as God's people sit, and may seem to hear as God's people hear; but they hear only with the hearing of the ear-their hearts are on the mountains of vanity, and the Word which to others is the savour of life unto life, is to them the savour of death unto death. Instead of 597 shining for the glory of God and the good of those TIME AND THE SOUL. TIME grows not old with length of years- Stars in perennial rounds return, As from eternity they came, And to eternity might burn We are not for one hour the same. Spring flowers renew their wild perfume, Yet stars, like flowers, have but their day,. Lord God! when time shall end his flight, Sheffield, October 4, 1828. J. MONTGOMERY. THE ANGEL'S MISSION. AN angel stood on one of the bright eminences of heaven, when, lo! a voice proclaimed, Go forth, my servant, and receive from the dwellers of yonder twinkling sphere the tribute they offer to the King of Heaven. The angel spread his snowy pinions, and directed his flight to where, on the remotest verge of creation, a dim star faintly glimmered. He passed the shining orbs that roll in dazzling splendour around the throne of God. Beings of majestic loveliness and immortal grace peopled each mighty sphere. Each voice was full of melody, and every eye kindled with the high consciousness of undying bliss, as its glance turned heavenward; for though perfect in the immortality of their nature, they still looked to where the Invisible burned in light unapproachable and full of glory. Yet he paused not, for he fulfilled the bidding of his King; and on he sped, til "thrones, dominations, princedoms" were all passed, and on an orb of shadowy dimness he paused to fold lay outstretched in placid loveliness. Its mighty waves rolled in upon the shore sublimely tranquil. But suddenly the tempest breathed upon it in its fierceness, and its mountain billows heaved in wild commotion, till the sky and main mingled in the fearful strife. The sky, before so calm, where the stars reposed in glory, that, too, changed before him, and dark clouds veiled its beauty, while the lightningflash and thunder-peal kindled and shook the heavens. The strife of elements was new to him. He turned away and sought the dwellers of the dark tempestuous isle. A city reared its massy piles before him. He entered the crowded streets, and passed the portals of one of its stately palaces. It was the hour of mirth; the wine cup sparkled and the song went round. There was light in every eye, and the elastic step was buoyant with exulting mirth. They mingled in the labyrinthian mazes of the giddy dance, in the fulness of thoughtless joy. But the hours passed by, and each turned homeward, and there the seraph sought and found them. But O, how changed! Clouds were on every brow, and every step was languid. One and another he questioned-"Thy tribute to Him who made thee? I would bear the offering to Him;" and the vacant stare or soulless laugh alone gave answer. Strange that the young and happy have no offering to-night for Him, the glorious One (sighed the angel). Yet none of all the throng had aught to offer. He sat him down in weariness, if weariness can fall upon any immortal nature. His eye glanced down the glittering streets, to where a mild light gleamed from a humble casement. He arose and entered the dwelling. By the bed of Death a fragile form was bending. The only loved one of earth had departed. The freed spirit had just sprung to its native skies, and she was left alone. Yet was the heartfelt consecration made: "Lord, I am thine. Thou gavest, and Thou, O Lord, hast taken away, blessed be thy name." Joy beamed on the brow of the angel. Beautiful, though early fading is thy offering, O daughter of earth! Thy Lord accepts and blesses." A moment, and he was amid the exulting throng that wake the echoes of heaven. The light of his radiant smile was beautiful in the sunlight of the skies, as he announced the result of his mission. And the heavenly arches rung again with the overflowing of immortal joy, as they heard of the bending suppliant of the midnight hour-so true it is, "There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth."-New York Evangelist. THE MISER. SOME hundred years ago, there was a great scarcity of corn in Egypt-the people were daily perishing of want; yet some avaricious merchants hoarded up their stock until it became worth its weight in gold. Among these was an old miser, named Amin, who had filled one of " Joseph's Granaries" at the last plenteous harvest. Day by day, as the famine wasted his fellow-citizens, he sat upon the steps of his corn-store, speculating on their sufferings, and calculating how he could make the utmost usury out of God's bounty. At length there was no more corn elsewhere; famishing crowds surrounded his storehouse, and besought him as a charity to give them a little food for all their wealth. Gold was piled around him--the miser's soul was satisfied with the prospect of boundless riches. Slowly he unclosed his iron doors, when, lo! he recoils, blasted and terror-stricken, from his treasury. Heaven had sent the worm into his corn, and instead of piles of yellow wheat, he gazed on festering masses of rottenness and corruption. Starving as the people were, they raised a shout of triumph at the manifest judgment; but Amin heard it not-he had perished in his hour of evil pride. [Reader, be not like Amin! Of what have you a store? Is it of money? Then hoard it not. There are many without bread, and more without Bibles. Give as God has given you; for he has given you, that you may give; and if you do not give, God may take. Is there any talent which you might cultivateany opportunity of usefulness which you might improve-any means which you might employ, for the benefit, spiritual and temporal, of those around you. whom you see, or those at a distance of whom you hear? Then cultivate-improve-employ. Ye are only stewards-God is Lord, your Lord, and his eye is ever on you. His book contains a daily record of your doings. Here or hereafter he will judge unfaithfulness.] TEMPTATIONS-WHY THEY COME, AND HOW THEY PROFIT. WHEN a founder has cast his bell, he does not presently fix it in the steeple, but tries it with his hammer, and beats it on every side, to see if there be any flaw in it. Christ doth not, presently after he has converted a man, convey him to heaven; but suffers him first to be beaten upon by many temptations, and then exalts him to his crown.-Arrowsmith. Temptation is the fire that brings up the scum of the heart.-Boston. Put a low value on the world's clay, and a high value on Christ. Temptations will come; but if you do not make them welcome, they will turn to your advantage. Rutherford. Seeing the saints must have a devil to keep them waking, I wish for a troublesome devil rather than for a secure and sleepy one.-Ibid. Did Christ die, and shall sin live? Was he crucified to the world, and shall our affections to the world be quick and lively? O where is the spirit of him who by the cross of Christ was crucified to the world, and the world to him?-Owen. POWER OF THE GOSPEL. PETER LINKS, a Namocqua, had a brother named Jacob Links, who was murdered when on a journey into the country with Mr Threlfall, the Wesleyan MISCELLANEOUS. missionary. After we heard of his brother Jacob's murder, Peter, when speaking on the subject, said: that I could find the murderer who took away my brother's life! I would not care what distance 599 up a sect for himself. These are the things thrown at the natives, by which they try to seduce them from us; but they have never succeeded in one instance. Some of the teachers meet them very cleverly by say do;" and that is generally what you may term a floorer; for they cannot answer an argument like that. The Karens will read, if they can get the books; and they don't like the idea of being deprived of the Bible. One of these Jesuits once tried to get them to worship his crucifix; but they said, "Why, do you suppose we are going to worship an idol ?" and turned from him with contempt.-Abbot. I might have to travel; I would not mind any ex-ing: "You don't give us the Bible, but our teachers posure, fatigue, or danger; I would not care what expense I might incur, if I could only lay hold of that man." Being aware that men in their savage state cherish an indomitable spirit of revenge, but believing Peter to be a decidedly pious character, I was a little astonished at his language, and rather hastily inquired: "Well, supposing you could find the man, what would you do to him?" "Do to him?" said Peter, "Mynheer, I would bring him to this station, that he might hear the Gospel, and that his soul might be converted to God."-Shaw's Memorials of South Africa. THE BEST EPITAPH. A MAN'S best monument is his virtuous actions. TELLING, TOO MUCH. The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things." PERSONS who tell a great many stories and remarkable events, are very apt to say too much. Persons who have heard some one express a conjecture that a thing is so and so, and then go and tell that it is so, most certainly say too much. Persons who are in the habit of telling all they know, are very liable to tell a little more. Persons who are in the habit of saying things to their friends in confidence, are apt to make too many confidential friends, and may find to their sorrow, and to the sorrow of others, that they have said quite too much. Nature has given us two ears, and but one tongue. THE ENEMY SOWING TARES. THE Roman Catholic priests are among the Churches at Arracan (in Asia), trying to shake their confidence in us. They say we are not regularly ordained, and are not descended from the apostles, which they are; and they say we have no right to administer the ordinances, and if they are baptized by us, they will not be saved. They do not dare to say anything against us. They allow that we are pretty good sort of men, as far as they know, but that we are not qualified to baptize. They say we are the followers of a man named Luther, who got drunk, and wanted to get married, so he seceded from the Church, and set THREE CLASSES. THE whole world may be divided into these three ranks and orders of men: Those who, having found God, resign themselves up to his service; those who, having not yet found him, do indefatigably search after him; and lastly, those who have neither found him nor are inclined to seek him. The first are happy and wise; the third are unhappy and fools; the second must be owned to be wise, as they own themselves to be unhappy.-Pascal. A QUESTION. A LITTLE boy on his death-bed was urging his father to repentance, and fearing he had made no impression, said: "Father, I am going to heaven; what shall I tell Jesus is the reason why you won't love him?" The father burst into tears; but before he could give the answer his dear Sabbath-school boy had fallen asleep in Jesus. Miscellaneous. Reasons are the pillars of the fabric of a sermon, but similitudes are the windows which give the best light. The faithful minister avoids such stories whose mention may suggest bad thoughts to the auditors, and will not use a light comparison to make thereof a grave application, for fear lest his poison go further than his antidote.-Fuller. Rich people who are covetous, are like the cypress tree-they may appear well, but are fruitless; so rich persons have the means to be generous, yet some are not so. But they should consider they are only trustees for what they possess, and should show their wealth to be more in doing good, than merely in having it. They should not reserve their benevolence for purposes after they are dead; for those who give not till they die, show that they would not then, if they could keep it any longer.-Hall. We can be thankful to a friend for a few acres, or a little money; and yet for the freedom and command of the whole earth, and for the great benefits of our being, our life, health, and reason, we look upon ourselves as under no obligation!-Seneca. When a man's desires are boundless, his labour is endless; they will set him a task he can never go through, and cut him out work he can never finish. The satisfaction which he seeks is always absent, and the happiness which he aims at ever at a distance. He has perpetually many things to do, and many things to provide; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.-Balguy. Daily Bread. FRIDAY. "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly."-ROM. ii. 8. I see the perfect law requires Truth in the inward parts; Our full consent-our whole desires- But I of means have made my boast, Many have clean hands, but unclean hearts. They wash the outside of the cup and platter, when all is filthy within. Now, the former without the latter profiteth a man no more than it profited Pilate, who condemned Christ, to wash his hands in the presence of the people; he washed his hands of the blood of Christ, and yet had a hand in the death of Christ. The Egyptian temples were beautiful on the outside, but within you shall find nothing but some serpent or crocodile. Judas was a saint without, but a sinner within-openly a disciple, but secretly a devil. -Mead. SATURDAY, "Blessed are ye that hunger ?"-LUKE ii. 21. Bless'd are the souls that long for graceHunger and thirst for righteousness; They shall be well supplied and fed, With living streams, and living bread. Hunger of the right kind is insatiable, so that nothing can put it off or satisfy it but Christ. The truly hungry soul will not be pleased with the best duties, ordinances, ministers, sermons, sacraments, or any other thing without Christ. The hungry soul will adventure on the greatest difficulties for Christhe will part with anything for him. All the treasures, honours, music, or comforts of life cannot satisfy him; none but Christ the soul's food. True hunger will put him upon the use of all means, and make him content to take Christ on any terms, and put a blank in his hand, and say: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" I will subscribe to anything, only give me Christ-give me food to my starving soul.Willison. SABBATH. "Rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom."-JAMES ii. 5. To others God has given Ishmael's portion-the fatness of the earth; to you, Isaac's-the graces of the covenant. Their portion is paid in brass-yours in gold. Many of you are poor in the world; but what is the dust of the earth to the fruits of the Spirit? You are troubled that you have no more of the world; it may be if you had more gold, you would have less grace. You consider not how many are poor and wretched in both worlds-moneyless and Christless too.-Flavel. MONDAY. "When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."JOB Xxii. 10. My God is my guide; thy mercies abound; Thou sav'st me from sickness, from sin dost retrieve. Weakness is manifested that it may be removed, and grace manifested that it may be strengthened.Manton. TUESDAY. "Christ is all.”—COL. iii. 11. Christ is all; he is the great all, as one calls him. Heaven and earth, time and eternity, grace and glory, are all in one Christ. He supplies the spiritual wants! of his spouses. Do you want life? "He that hath the Son hath life." Do you want grace? Close with Christ, and he will give you grace-abundance of grace. Do you want peace? Close with Christ, and he will give you peace. Do you want strength and righteousness-righteousness for justification, and Close strength for sanctification and obedience? with Christ, and he will supply you with abundance of both. Do you want joy and consolation? Close with Christ, and he will in due season fill you with joy and consolation; he will comfort your hearts. He supplies all the outward wants also of his spouses, and that so as that they want no good thing. They want no outward good thing, but what the want || thereof is better for them than the enjoyment of it would be.-Pearse. WEDNESDAY. "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also."-JOHN xiv. 3. With earnest desire after thee we aspire, Till our souls thou receive in thy presence to live, That which makes paradise a paradise indeed, is to be with Christ there. "With me: thou shalt be with me in paradise." What would a paradise be without Christ? What would heaven be, though angels be there, and the spirits of just men made per"Whom fect be there, if Christ were not there? have I in heaven but thee?" As if the Psalmist had said, Heaven would not be a heaven to me, were it not for thee. Christ's being with the soul here, makes a heaven here; and the soul's being with Christ hereafter, makes a heaven hereafter. Would not heaven be a Baca, a valley of tears-a Bochim, a house of mourning-if the soul were not to find Christ there? -Mayhew. THURSDAY. "Forgive us our debts."-MATT. vi. 26. The impenitent unpardoned sinner hath a vast debt upon him that will surely undo him, unless he doth in time get a discharge. He is bound over to suffer the wrath of God for evermore, and no hand can loose him but God's. Many times they think of no such matter, and cry, 66 Peace, peace," to themselves; but it is not the debtor which must cancel the book, but the creditor. Have you a discharge from God? where's your legal qualification? Poor creatures,what will you do? Many take care that they may owe nothing to any man; oh! but what do you owe to God? To live in doubt, and in fear of an arrest-0 what misery is that! But when sin lieth at the door, ready to attach you every moment, and hale you to the prison of hell-that's most dreadful. Therefore think of it seriously-how do accounts stand between God and you?-Manton. Edinburgh: Printed by JoHN JOHNSTONE, residing at 12. Windsor Street, and Published by him at 2, Hunter Square. London: R. GROOMBRIDGE & SONS. Glasgow: J. R. M'NAIR & Co.; and to be had of any Bookseller throughout the Kingdom. THE CHRISTIAN TREASURY. 601 A CONGREGATION'S OBJECT, WISHES, AND HOPES, IN CHOOSING A MINISTER. A Sermon. BY G. D. KRUMMACHER, PASTOR IN ELBERFELD, (Translated from the German for the CHRISTIAN TREASURY.) Wherefore, of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same What would we be about? To have a man called in the name of the Lord to an office day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained which, because of its mighty and sacred im to be a witness with us of his resurrection."-ACTS i. 21, 22. THUS spake Peter and John to the assembled disciples to the hundred and twenty who were gathered together. They had to fill the place of the twelfth apostle; and the appointment of one to fill this place was a matter of no little importance. So it is with the business that is now to occupy us-the calling of a fourth pastor to our congregation. There is no essential difference between the cases. The object that has this day brought us together is of a similar character; our desires are the same. May the similarity of our proceedings with those of the apostles issue in a like glorious result! Although it may not be a Matthias that is given to us, may it be a man after God's own heart! An hour like the present demands reflection. Believing, however, that I understand your sentiments and feelings, you will permit me to be the interpreter of them. In few words, therefore, let me state, first, what is our object; secondly, what are our wishes; and thirdly, what are our hopes. I. What is our object? It is one of no trivial importance. We are about to engage in a work, the consequences of which it is impossible to estimate; for they have reference to eternity. portance, ranks, undoubtedly, as the first-born amongst offices on earth; for we say with Paul: "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." O office of offices! whose prospects are not, as others, limited to time, but whose high aim penetrates into a far distant eternity. Glorious employment! which strives not, as others, for that which is perishable, but which, with holy ardour, presses on towards the regions of unfading immortality. O office without equal! whose purpose is to draw down, yea, which hath the promise of being able to draw down, heaven to earth-to span the river of death with the golden bridge of mercy-to straw the bony field of mortality with the bright sparks of an imperishable life. Praise-worthy office! instituted by the King of kings, which spoils "the prince of this world" of his usurped possession-which banishes the dark shade of death through the instrumentality of a torch lighted by God himself-which causes streams of joy and peace to flow through this vale of tears, and which, by the grace of God, plants lilies and roses that will bloom in unfading beauty around the throne of the Lamb. To seek for this high and holy office a man who, we have reason to believe, has received a large measure of divine gifts--this is the truly great object for which we are now met togeThe work which the Lord has reserved for ther-this is the duty which must be so far us is nothing less than the giving of a preacher discharged by our dear congregation; and can to Jerusalem. In this he has called us to be we, on so hallowed an occasion, be animated fellow-workers with himself. Glorious calling! by any other spirit than that of deep solemnity Honourable prerogative! Precious constitution and gratitude, not unmixed, however, with of our Church! May it live, and flourish, and sighs and supplications? This hour is as imbe transmitted unimpaired to the latest gene-portant as that in which Peter said: "So must rations! What is that in which we are about one of these men be ordained to be a witness O that we may to engage? We are, as men would say, about with us of his resurrection." to choose a preacher. Yet the choice is already have the same spirit which influenced the hunmade-fixed-decided. It is to the divine de- dred and twenty when these words were adcision that we are to have respect; and, thus dressed to them! considered, we are the bill-distributers-the heralds of the Lord. How desirable that we execute this trust conscientiously and heartily - having nothing in view but God's willreverentially committing the case to him, and not selfishly standing up for ourselves! It is not in a spirit of contention that we contemplate this election. We are in the presence, in the sanctuary of God. May the Spirit purify our hearts, and instruct us in divine things! No. 51. 1 What is the object we have in view? A work is to be gone about of the utmost importance; for much depends on the qualifications of a minister. He may be pre-eminently a man of blessing; but he may also be a man Who are who carries along with him a curse. they, above all others, that have wrought devastation throughout the vineyard of our Church? Who, above all others, are chargeable with the sin of that fearful, and almost universal declension from the faith of our fathers, that has February 13, 1846. |