in.''

Olive looked up surprised. She was the stranger said, this will take all stains lying in bed, looking out on the green from your dress, for look — He pointed fields, and there, beside her, instead of the to the cross, on which Olive read, - What angel's sad face, was the bright and smiling are those which are arrayed in white garone of her mother.

ments? These are they who have washed Olive's arms were around her mother's their robes and made them white in the neck in a moment, as she told her her blood of the Lamb.' Then Olive waited no dream, and the tears started afresh as she longer, and when her dress had been washsaid, “ And, O mother! the beautiful ed in the stream of blood which flowed angel, with the saddest face I ever saw, from the rock-behold it was white and said, “No! little Olive, you can't come clean. Then the stranger took her again

in his arms. This time the path seemed Tears were in the mother's eyes, too, as smooth, and where the ugly thorns had she wiped them away from Olive's, and in been before, were now beautiful flowers. her heart she prayed, “O! blessed Jesus, As they drew near the gate of the city, littake my little Olive in."

tle Olive said, “O sir, I can't go in with“Shall mother finish the dream, Olive?". out a crown. "Yes,' said the stranger,

“Oh, yes; that will be beautiful,” she 'ng one enters the beautiful city with a said, laying her head back on the pillow, crown—they are all given to them at the and waiting for her mother to begin. gate. A crown of glory that fadeth not

Taking her hand her mother said, “ After away.' As they reached the gate, the angel little Olive had sat for some time crying by that kept it looked now with a happy face, the gate of the beautiful city, she thought, and said, 'Yes, little Olive, you may come 'I will try again to make my dress clean ; in,' and a band of little children came out perhaps, if I try long enough, I can do it.' to meet them." So brightening up, she started to the little The mother could say no more, the tears stream and tried again. At last, tired with were coming so fast, but Olive said, the vain effort, for the dress only seemed “ The crown, mother, what of the more soiled than ever, she sat down on the bank and began to cry. What is the mat “O! yes,” she said, “they gave her a ter, little Olive?' She looked up, and crown of never-withering flowers. Dear there stood by a stranger, with such a beau. Olive, can you tell who the kind stranger tiful face, and he looked upon her so kindly was who carried you in his arme?" that she could not help loving him. “ Yes," said little Olive, “it was Jesus.”

What is the matter, dear little Olive?' " Yes, we can never make ourselves pure 'O sir,' she said, 'I want to go into the in his sight, but he can make us if we trust beautiful city, and the angel by the gate in him. We can never do anything to won't let me, because my dress is not clean, crown ourselves, but Jesus will crown all and I've washed and washed, and I can't those who love him when they reach that make it any better.' 'Will you go with beautiful city. Shall we ask him, Olive, to me, little Olive, and I will show you where make us to enter the golden gate ?" you can wash it white and clean?' 'Yes, I Little Olive closed her eyes, while her she said, “I will go.' Theu he lifted her mother prayed to the blessed Saviour to in his arms, and carried her very gently l wash away all her sins in his own precious past the green fields to a dreary-looking | blood. place, where the stones in the path and the Dear little children, this is Olive's dream. thorns in the way seemed to hurt the feet | I do not think it is all a dream ; I know of the stranger; but little Olive was safe, that somewhere there stands just such a for she was carried in his arms. At last beautiful city as little Olive saw. And let they came to a great rock, on the top of us all pray that to none of us the angel at which there stood a stone cross; and as the golden gate of heaven may say, “ No, Olive looked nearer, there trickled from the little one, you can't come in." rock drops of blood. 'Here, little Olive,' I

crown ?"

A WORKING SERVANT AND A i vows in covenant with God and his people. WAITING SERVANT.

But I would rather visit him at his home

--see what sort of a husband and father he Soon after I began to exercise the public

| has become-whether he is gentle and ministry, while I was comparatively young

self-restrained, when he used to be petulant and inexperienced, I received a word from

and irritable-whether he is monarch of all a poor man which has served me for a

he surveys, or the servant and minister of lesson on the point for more than twenty

all— lives to receive the incense of the fsyears. In the course of visitation one day

mily homage, to be saved trouble, and to I entered a house where an aged labourer

guard his personalcomfort and convenience was sitting in his chair, unable, from the

from interference and restriction, or to nature of his ailments, to lie down either

lavish thought and toil and care upon all by night or day. In his health and strength

the dependent circle. Let me know, are he had been a disciple of Jesus, and in his

his angles rounded off in the home? Is age and suffering he was enjoying in large

he eager to lift off the household burdens measure the consolations of God. In an

from the frailer form at his side, and adjust swer to my first inquiry, he said, with a

them to his own broader shoulders ? Essmile on his wrinkled face, and a glimmer of mirthfulness in his half-closed eyes, “I

pecially, has he become, in a spiritual and

meaning phrase, a “nursing father" to the am promoted noo.” In further conversa

little ones there ? Are they only the playtion, he explained his meaning thus: “I

things of his idle moments, with whom he was lang the Lord's workin' servant; and

frolics as so many kittens when he is goodnoo he has promoted me to be his waitin' servant." Since that time I have lived a

natured, or looks upon as so many stum

bling-blocks to be kicked out of the way busy, laborious life; the labour has been

when he is moody and hasty ? Or are they in some sort undertaken in the service of

young plants to be watched and matured the Lord. When I grow weary, and detect

for the garden of God, youthful learners a tendency to complain, I recall that old

to be taught the way of life, early pilgrims Christian's words, and with them silence

whose feet he is to lead with his own in the mutiny. It is far easier, if you are in

the path to heaven ? Show me the evia state of grace at all, to do the Lord's will

dence that he has discerned and accepted than to bear it. We need more grace to

his most privileged and responsible calling wait patiently his time under lengthened

of nurseryman for the great Husbandman suffering, with few to sympathise, than to

in this little plantation of immortals. I work hard on the affairs of the kingdom,

wish to see him kneel with his right arm with many looking on approving. The

around his eldest born, and his left on the silent, secret bearing of his will, in faith

cradle of his babe- to hear him, with a tax and hope, is as pleasing to God as the

which he shall feel, because it is painsmost faithful public witnessing. Will you

taking study and effort, and yet for love's and I, who now, it may be, by the aid of

sake shall not feel, because it is freely and Divine grace, serve the Lord by working,

gladly borne, reading and expounding to be able in our turn and in his time to serve the Lord by waiting? It will be too hard

young learners the way of truth and salva

tion. If his heart is not to his children, it for us, but not for our Saviour. “My

is not turned to Christ.- Rev. A. L. grace is suficient for thee.”

Stone.

THE HOME TEST THE BEST. TAKE HOLD OF THE PROMISES. You tell me a man is changed by the HE that can lay his hand upon any one converting and renewing grace of God. Is promise that God has made for them that he? Let me look at him. It is something love him, and truly say, This promise is that I may see him with the Bible in his | mine, may safely lay his hand upon every hands. It goes as confirmation that I be- | promise that God has made to them that hold him on his knees. It helps the evi-l love him, and say, These are mine. He dence that I hear him speaking publicly his that can lay his hand upon any one pro

Our Missions.

only with the more thoughtful, intelligent few; fold more than it actually is; and still we should while, from the vast mass of the Roman Catho- | be inclined to think that our brethren have been lics, they would meet with an equal share of more amazed and more moved than the case rightly opprobrium and hostility, because of their hated considered would have caused them to be. For, Protestantism,

first of all, we must remember the effect on a body The manner in which the Baptists are regarded of men of a long period of almost undisputed by other Protestant denominations varies accord religious sway such as that which has been for so ing to the relations between the different bodies. many years maintained by the Presbyterians in the Certainly the Episcopalian clergy in Ireland, when north of Ireland. It is not at all to be wondered they profess to fraterpise with Nonconformists, do at that such a body should have imbibed the spirit it more thoroughly than is commonly the case in common to all churches that have gained supreEngland. One reason of this is, doubtless, to be macy in the State. For though it may be said found in the presence of the common enemy, so that they are not able to claim the social distincoverwhelming in numbers, relatively to all Pro- tion of a church established by law, yet they have, testants together, and especially to the Episco if possible, felt the influence of their social position palians alone, albeit they are the Established | even more, because they have not only fallen under Church, a perpetual testimony to the distinction the corrupting influence of State pay, but they between the National Church and the Church of 1 also feel the pride of superiors in having gained the Nation.

their social distinction in spite of a State-estabThe spirit of the Presbyterian body, especially lished Church. The Regium Donum has infused among the ministers, greatly varies. Nor is this into them the spirit of a State Church, and when to be wondered at, when we remember how much they see themselves paramount to the so-called human nature will always be affected by the National Church itself, the feeling of supremacy is accidents of a case. Where the Presbyterian body still more strengthened by the very fact that they is relatively weak, there will be found greater have gained their ascendancy in defiance of such readiness to fraternise with others than in districts apparent obstacles. In addition to this, it must where they are predominant. And even in those be borne in mind that they are a connexional localities where they are the dominant sect, there body; and enough has been seen, even in our own are to be found men of lovely spirit who delight country, of the action of the connexional spirit, to to hail their Lord wherever he is to be found, prepare us to expect that the selfishness and exand who can acknowledge as brethren persons who clusiveness of connexionalism would certainly do not subscribe to all their dogmas. Still there obtain in a body like that of the Presbyterians of can be no doubt that the prevalent feeling among Ireland. We do not say these things by way of the Presbyterian body towards the Baptists of excuse or apology. On the contrary, we hold them Ireland is one of determined hostility. That hos to be their reproach. We are only stating them tility may sometimes utter the language of con as accounting in some measure for the opposition, tempt, as though they esteemed the Baptists virulent and rude and disgraceful in some cases, unworthy of their notice; but, with all the with which the Baptists have been lately met; affected contemptuousness of manner, it is evident and as showing also that we need not be surprised that there is real alarm lest Baptist sentiments at the opposition itself. Not long since the should obtain. The vehemence of certain authors, presence of the Baptists had been little seen or and the denunciations of certain Presbyters felt. Attendant on the revival was the spirit of assembled in synodical conclave, clearly attest inquiry respecting the subject of Baptism. “At the this. It is a remarkable fact that, together with same time, the efforts of Baptists themselves bethe recent revival, a spirit of inquiry was awakened came much more vigorous; not for purposes of to a considerable extent respecting baptism. In mere proselytising we are well assured; but though many instances this was entirely self-originated ; mainly evangelistic, they naturally aroused the it was purely spoutaneous; it sprang up among opposition of men who had been wont to look upon the converts themselves, and was not the result of the land as all their own, and who, therefore, any proselytising efforts put forth by others. would be provoked when they saw, what was really This very naturally attracted the attention of to many of them an almost unknown and unheard ecclesiastics, and certainly has caused them to of sect, making inroads on that which they had furnish many proofs that "Presbyter is but been wont to regard as almost exclusively their old Priest writ large.” The language uttered, own domain. Our counsel, therefore, to the anol the measures adopted, have in some instances Baptists in Ireland would be, not to appear as her n such as we should nuch regret to have em ren startled by some unexpected violence of op

hoed in behalf of any cause that we espoused. position, but to endure patiently, and to work ou We can only rejoice at the forbearance which our bravely, as men who know enough of the world brethren have exercised, and that when they have and of the Church to lay their account that pure, been compelled to speak and act, they have done voluntary, spiritual Christianity will be opposed so in a manner that has given them great advan by the majority of a body subject to influences tage not only as to the subject in dispute, but such as we have now indicated. . We say by the also as to the spirit in which it has been discussed. majority, because we rejoice to know that in IreStill in the consideration of the case, as it has land, as in other lands, there are men who have appeared before us, we are inclined to think that proved themselves to be superior to these prejuour brethren have been somewhat more surprised dices, and who delight to let the Christian rise and affected by the hostility that has arisen above the sectarian and the exclusionist. Let our than a careful and enlarged view of such things brethren still hold on. Let them continue to be

have sanctioned or even permitted. We would

earnest, prayerful, faithful, in their work. The

truly spiritual among their opponents, sooner or are quite aware that in saying this we are in

later, and to a greater or less extent, will be condanger of exciting that strong feeling which in

strained to render homage to their zeal. the Northern Scot can display in such

The a caset

with the Southern Celt. They will formal and the worldly may still revile and conworth

not know the bitterness of the temn; but the servants of Christ can endure all tell u

kot has arisen, or we should not so that. Brethren at home will sympathise with persec

our object is not to deny the degree them in their trials, their toils, and their triumphs.

ve would allow it to be ten | And above all, their Lord will not fail to verify of tha

Write

3 we do not know ution that has arise

Now, our object is persecution; we won