THE

tion of the Sabbath. They were in the sanctuary but a part of the day; then not at all; then read novels and political papers at home; then rode out, or spent the day in some saloon or refectory, in company with the unprincipled and dissipated; then drank, gamed, and revelled; then leaped over the bounds of honesty, defrauded or stole; and then -but you know the rest. And this is the downward career of thousands-these the steps by which they descended from virtue, respectability, and comfort, to corruption, disgrace, and destruction.

It is a mistake to suppose that Sabbath-keeping is a thing merely of religious observance, or especially a tenet of some particular sect. On the contrary, the

setting apart by the whole community of one day in seven, wherein the thoughts of men and the physical activities shall be turned into another than their accustomed channels, is a thing pertaining as much to the law of nature as is the intervening of the nights between the days.

There are many who are more sclicitous to preserve their reputation with men, than to secure the favour of God and a good conscience. "Lest we be shamed" goes further with them than "Lest we be damned."Henry.

Where Sabbaths are neglected, all religion sensibly goes to decay.-Henry.

S the members are to go where Christ the Head

hath gone before, so shall each man at his rising again go where his heart hath now gone before. Let us go hence, then, by that part of us which we may ; our whole man will follow whither one part of us is gone before. Our earthly house must fall to ruin; our heavenly house is eternal. Let us move our goods beforehand, whither we are ourselves getting ready to come.-Augustine.

Our short-sighted eyes cannot see dangers, or, seeing them, are appalled. There is no safe way through the wilderness of this world, but as one crosses a foaming torrent, fix your eyes upon God and on the other side.-Anna Warner.

There is no coming at the fair haven of eternal

glory without sailing through the narrow strait of

repentance.-Dyer.

We shall soon be in eternity, and then we shall see how trifling all the things of this world are, and how little it mattered what became of them! Yet now we are as eager over them as if they were all-important! When we were children, we used to be eager in collecting bits of wood, and tile, and mud, to build our play-houses; and if they were knocked down, we were sorely grieved, even to tears. Now we know that this was all child's play. Even so, when we reach heaven, we shall see that all these earthly interests were but child's play too.-De Sales.

Oh, what a place will you be shortly in of joy or torment! Oh, what a sight will you shortly see in heaven or hell! Oh, what thoughts will shortly fill your hearts with unspeakable delight or horror! What work will you be employed in? To praise the Lord with saints and angels, or to cry out in fire unquenchable with devils? And should all this be forgotten? And all this will be endless, and sealed up by an unchangeable decree. Eternity-eternity will be the measure of your joys or sorrows; and can this be forgotten? And all this is true, sirs, most certainly true. When you have gone up and down a

little longer, and slept and awaked a few times more, you will be dead and gone, and find all true that now I tell you; and yet can you now so much forget it! You shall then remember that you were reminded of these things, and perceive them matters a thousand times greater than either you or I could here conceive; and yet shall they now be so much forgotten! -Baxter.

Eternity depends on our spending ill or well that time allotted us here for probation. . . . Live virtuously, and you cannot die too soon, or live too long. -Lady Rachel Russell.

For a Pagan there may be some motives to be in love with life; but for a Christian to be amazed at death, I see not how he can escape this dilemma— that he is too sensible of this life, or hopeless of the one to come.-Sir Thomas Browne.

The death of a good man is like the putting out of a wax perfumed candle: he recompenses the loss of light with the sweet odour he leaves behind him.Feltham.

As the eye which has gazed at the sun cannot immediately discern any other object; as the man who has been accustomed to behold the ocean turns with contempt from a stagnant pool; so the mind