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uncertainty of the objects which will first meet our senses when the soul departs into the unknown abyss.

Ah! the mildest form of Death, that which we should most hope for, since Death is inevitable, is still full of awe. But how often is Death accompanied by many grievous sufferings,—on which I will not dwell,-but only advert to one possible accompaniment which will add tenfold to the horrors of Death,-"O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? the sting of Death is sin." If even to the good man the contemplation of Death, the disruption of all earthly ties, the vague uncertainty of the future is full of awe, what must Death be to him who has reason to fear, or to know too surely that Death will be to him the beginning of neverending misery?

Some there are who resort to the vain expedient of unbelief, or at least attempt to do so; but it is a vain endeavour. Were it even possible for the dying sinner to believe that Death is annihilation, yet the very thought is full of misery, tolerable only as the alternative for eternal suffering. But they to whom the Gospel has been taught can never really disbelieve the resurrection of the dead. Try as they will, the fearful thought will still force itself upon them,-that even were death a long sleep, yet there may be dreams to

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break the stillness of that sleep. The spirit which in natural sleep wanders forth to the ends of the world, and is capable of intense suffering, may, even were the body annihilated or dissolved into its rudiments, yet have to pass through scenes which shall take their complexion from the deeds done in the flesh. A thousand vague surmisings and fearful anticipations will fill the heart of him even who desires and does all he can to put from him the fear of Death. Do what he will the sinner cannot rid himself of the fearful thought that after death will come the Judgment.

Let us not be so unwise as to attempt to put from us the thought of future retribution. Rather let it be the business of our lives to make preparation for that which will surely come. Natural Death is a fearful thought, eternal Death a thousand times more fearful. But we have it in our power to rob Death of its sting, and the grave of its victory," As in Adam all die, even so in CHRIST shall all be made alive." And as Philosophy and Science are utterly unable to explain the moral phenomenon of Death's entrance into the world, so it is equally beyond their power to furnish even the slightest reparation for the terrible calamity of Death. There is none except that which is afforded by the blessed Gospel.

You see the ravages which Death causes in the world, you know that ere long each one of us

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must yield to its power. You know and believe, (no man in his senses can shake from him the belief,) that after death there is the judgment,and the second death, death eternal to those who die in sin. At the same time you see written by GOD's inspiration in the Word of Truth a revelation of the wonderful scheme of salvation through CHRIST, in Whom and through Whom life and immortality, salvation, sanctification, joy eternal with God in heaven, all these glorious privileges and blessings are offered without reserve to each fallen son of Adam who now sits in the shadow of death,-"As in Adam all die, even so in CHRIST shall all be made alive." "Thanks be to GOD which giveth us the victory, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST." Through Him we may be more than conquerors over both sin and death. "In Him," says S. John, "was life, and as many as received Him to them gave He the power to become the sons of GOD." Our LORD JESUS CHRIST "hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel."

Philosophy is utterly unable, I say, to explain these things. It is a cheat and a fraud if ft pretends to do so. Its department is totally different. It can tell us of steam, and molecules, and protoplasm, and the ego and the non-ego, and unconditioned, but as to bring

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ing the slightest consolation to the dying sinner, or hope for the future, it is altogether incompetent.

Who would trust to Philosophy without religion?

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN WEAKNESS. THE TRAVAIL OF INFANTS MERCIFULLY

OF WOMEN.-HELPLESSNESS

DESIGNED.-SO

THE RELATION BETWEEN MAN AND WOMAN.-HOME A TRAINING FOR HEAVEN.-EVEN THE SINS OF MEN CONVERTED BY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER TO GOOD.

A FEW years ago there was an epidemic amongst the grouse in Scotland, which killed numbers of them, and greatly disconcerted the sportsmen. It was maintained by many, and not without plausible reason, that the epidemic, if not caused, was rendered much more general, by the too great zeal of the keepers in killing the kites and other vermin which preyed upon the grouse. How could this be? The argument was this: that if the kites had not been destroyed, they would have killed the sick birds, which they could easily catch, and so the disease would not have spread to nearly the same extent.

Philosophers have applied the same argument, in theory, let us hope, not seriously—to the human If all the sickly children were killed off in

race.