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The Treasury Hymnal.

The hymns are selected from Dr. Bonar's "Hymns of Faith and Hope." The Letter-note Method of musical notation, by permission of Messrs. Colville & Bentley, is introduced as a help to young singers.

THE

SHADOW OF THE CROSS.

Words by HORATIUS BONAR, D.D.

Music from M. HAYDN,

[The tune 'Salzburg,' in the Scottish Collection, is founded on this melody.]
Not too fast. Met. 100

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'With every morn their love grew tenderer; With every eve deeper and tenderer still.'

'Tis said the soul can live in the past, the pre-thatsent, or the future, as it will. So, one evening lately, my tendencies were so decidedly retrospective, that I gave the reins to memory, and quickly it passed through many a scene of earlier years, living them o'er, but soon stopped short, and mustered up a train of images that long had lain in deep oblivion.

Anon I sat within the dear old church, where oft in early years I worshipped, just on the day that the first appearance of a stranger lady and gentleman, with their numerous family, made some sensation in our midst. I must, however, do them the justice to state, that this was not to be attributed to their fashionable attire-it was extremely modest.

Every one carries an atmosphere about with them, it is said, and, if it be true, theirs was denser or more easily discernible than others; they seemed quite immersed in the element of love, but without the least unseemly manifestation of it.

How devout, too, they all appeared, with a tenderness and unconsciousness in their expression, that was quite beautiful to look upon.

Next, I was walking home with a friend, and though not naturally curious, nor from principle inclined to say much about my neighbours, was yet receiving with considerable relish some information about the new-comers, all the more readily that it quite coincided with the favourable opinion I had formed of them.

How well also did they succeed in making their children feel that home was the happiest, dearest place on earth! Surely that delicious home feeling is as choice a blessing as parents can bestow.

Here I could not help pausing to reflect how much the salvation of children depends on the character of their parents, and especially of the mother; what a power she possesses of impressing upon the minds of her children her own cherished principles!

That power, too, is ever necessarily exercised, either for good or evil, as the senses of children are ever busily, though unconsciously, taking in impressions from what passes around them. They are also found to be keen observers, and from the circumstances thus observed, to be constantly drawing their own conclusions. And it follows, of course, that in a home where religion is made prominent-pervasive as an atmosphere-God's presence and agency distinctly realized-impressions cannot fail of being made, and the superstructure of pure and noble character raised on right foundations.

My reflections over memory again bounded forward, to view afresh these home-scenes of hallowed joy she oft had witnessed, and often halted and lingered over them, as if in hope to catch some inkling of their spirit.

"Tis difficult sometimes to give form and body

One little female prayer-meeting was memory's next resting-place, on the evening that Mrs. A. first came among us; and on being asked-paint in words the beauteous visions that rise to take part in the services, did so in a manner that deepened our former favourable impressions into reverence and love.

One thing that drew us young people so much to her was, if I may so express it, her motherliness. How broad her sympathies were! How genial her spirit!

before one's mind. But as one or two of them appeared in clearer outline than the others, I will try to sketch them, though but in a very imperfect manner.

"Twas with me a time of sadness. Dark clouds not only lowered around, but also threatened to overwhelm. There is a sorrow which mere She was, however, no latitudinarian. But, words cannot reach. Well Mrs. A. knew that, while maintaining her own principles most and also when sympathy would be better manirigidly, she had an enlarged experience and rich-fested by silence than by speech. ness of soul which gave a peculiar charm to her conversation.

Then memory, in a kind of freak, undid another fastening, and from a secret crevice brought up an image most markedly in contrast with the former, and placed them side by side. 'Twas that of one who, while all but intolerably conscientious about trifles, lacked sadly that enlarged

One afternoon we sat in a little front parlour, a kind of sanctum sanctorum-I hope I will not be thought very irreverent-where only the privileged were permitted to enter; and just at a time when words of comfort, spoken directly to me, would have been worse than useless, Mrs. A., in her own cheery way, turned to her daughter, who sang beautifully, and said—

'Come, E-, let us have "The Dove."

rently they looked at different times! But when

And E-, her mother and sisters, taking dif- examined, proving the same unworthy ideas after

ferent parts, sang—

'The dove spread o'er her weary wing
Above the waters dark;

She pluck'd an olive branch, to bring
The lone ones in the ark.

What peace and joy that token gave,
Though all around was dark!

It proved that God had power to save
The lone ones in the ark.

Though waves and storms go o'er my head,
Though all around be dark;
I have an hiding-place above,
In Jesus Christ, my ark.'

How

all, spectre-like, haunting my spirit with their
dark illusions. Ultimately, though adopting
such Fabian policy, they had no success.
could they, when we may have with the Eternal
One intercourse so close and conscious, that
every doubt, however strong and subtile, dis-
solves into the veriest nothingness?

To me this little tilt with gloomy unbelief was extremely valuable, as by it I was led to meditate more on the subject, made more observant, and thus became acquainted with so many striking facts in the experience of others, as to the direct answering of prayer, as amounted, independently of my own experience, to demonIstration.

Never had I heard anything so beautiful, thought; and while they sang, the weary heart forgot its smart, and could only wonder at the power possessed by a gracious spirit, of casting oil upon the troubled waters-or rather, of shedding around one of life's rugged paths a charm that smoothed its roughest ills.

Then memory took a backward turn, and stirred another train of images, soon to converge again in Mrs. A.

Distinctly, as at first, I saw the little upper room, where lived an humble Christian; and also the horror and distress with which she showed me a posé of books, infidel books, which her brother had secreted, evidently for special perusal. One of them was extremely virulent in its spirit, written by a woman.

Most of them I had read before-Volney, Voltaire, Paine, etc.: not from choice altogether; but as in visiting I often met with those who not only read but accepted those writings as truth, I felt it necessary to inform myself. But so far was the perusal from shaking my faith, I could only wonder how any one, in whose heart God had revealed his Son, could have a moment's uneasiness through such quibbling.

Perhaps it was because I had not mind enough to see the force of their objections, but they all seemed to rebut from it lightly, as a ball of india-rubber. Now, however, in merely glancing over the pages of this one I had not seen before, it was different.

She advanced nothing new, and differed little from the other writers, except in the animus of her words; for, while she held up prayer to ridicule as a mere myth, and also the poor befooled creatures that could be content to believe that if they prayed and get something, perhaps very different from what they asked, at some time, and in some way, that it was an answer to their prayers, there was a living venom in her words that assailed one's spirit, and but for care, would have fastened upon it like a vampire. An instance, I could not help thinking, of like seeking to like. There must have been some latent doubts existing in my mind on that very point, or there would not have been such readiness to entertain the doubts of others. I should scarcely, however, say entertain, but rather that I was tormented with the vile ideas which she advanced about prayer soliciting entertainment. How protean also in character! How diffe

Many of these facts I culled from the experience of Mr. and Mrs. A. But though memory would gladly open up her teeming treasures, I shall only bring one from the experience of each.

Again Mrs. A. and I are seated, not in the little front parlour, but a much more spacious room, having one of those delightful talks that can only be indulged in, when there is not the slightest shade of mutual distrust, and at the same time enjoying the sight of the children running about on the grass so beautifully fresh and green; and everything did look so soft and lovely in the declining sun, as he poured down floods of his subdued glory through the shady

trees.

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Religion is icy without a heart,' it has been truly said; but in this home it had a heart. And the young people were growing up beautiful developments of humour and cheerfulness. With such springing, and romping, and jumping as we now witnessed, there could be no question as to their enjoying all the elasticities of life.

Something in particular having drawn my attention to Esther, the youngest girl, I asked if Esther was a common name in England.

'No,' she replied, there was a special reason for her being called by that name. I do not often speak of it, but I think I'd better tell it you.'

And then she began to relate how the Rev. Mr. B., an intimate friend, was in great distress. Its nature, however, she did not reveal, further than to say, that through a strange concurrence of circumstances, over which he had no control, he was brought into such straits, that unless God was pleased to interpose in a particular way, the cause of religion would suffer.

He called on Mrs. A. for the double purpose of taking counsel, and getting the aid of her prayers. In praying with him before he left, she obtained the assurance that he would be helped.

When she told him so, he doubted. But so sure was Mrs. A., that she thus addressed him

'Mr. B., you will certainly be delivered, and so sure am I that I will neither eat nor drink until help come; you will therefore at once send me a token.'

Two days and two nights had passed away,

and the third day was drawing to a close. Mrs. A., faint and weak, was almost beginning to make the complaint of the prophet, ‘O Lord, Thou hast deceived, and I was deceived,' when one of Mr. B.'s servants appeared with the token.

At the sight of it, Mrs. A. burst into tears, and for some time could say nothing but 'Glory be to God,' etc. And that is the reason,' she added, why the dear little girl I had soon after was named Esther.'

Here again I must pause, amid my retrospections, to state a fact. Mr. A., after many years' walking in the light of God's countenance, gave way to doubt on one point-God's love to, and care of him, as an individual. Singular enough, the effect was not what might have been expected. Instead of becoming indifferent, he became more earnest in the discharge of every duty, resolved that if he perished, it would not be for wilful rebellion against the will of God. But his was no longer the happy service of a child rejoicing in the light of its father's smile, but the hard service of bondage and fear, that left him walking in doubt and darkness.

In this state of mind he left Scotland, after a long sojourn there. When several years had passed away, circumstances led me to and it was with no measured feelings of delight that I found myself once more with these dear old friends, and enjoying a delightful tête-a-tête in the spacious drawing-room of their beautiful English home. Every cloud had passed from Mr. A.'s mind; and fresh with the dews of divine grace, it was more clear and vigorous than ever. 'Twas, indeed, the clear shining after rain!

One evening, the conversation having turned somehow upon prayer, I asked if he had ever had any direct answers.

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helm, through some slight misapprehension of his orders, was steering the vessel right into the danger, without being conscious of it. A few minutes more, and destruction would have been inevitable. Just then Mr. A. was suddenly awakened out of his deep sleep. The intense oppression was gone; he felt instead an extraordinary influence impelling him on deck. He obeyed the impulse, and was just in time to save the vessel. But though the immediate danger was over, their situation was still perilous in the extreme. I do not remember the details, but they were surrounded on all sides by dangers, from which there seemed no egress. At this juncture, a distinct impression was made on the mind of Mr. A., of a passage between some sand-banks, through which they would escape. He called his mate, and asked if ever he heard of such a course being taken.

'Only once,' was the reply, and it was extremely foolhardy, even in easy weather.'

Still the impression grew clearer and stronger. Run the vessel up in that direction.' Convinced at length that this impression was of supernatural origin, he obeyed, and in a short time they were clear of all impending dangers.

'Ah!' he said, 'that was a great deliverance to me. Not only were we saved from shipwreck, but "my soul was escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler." Unbelief had long held my soul in its icy fangs, but now its spell was completely broken. These remarkable deliverances were so suited to my spiritual status, as to convince me, beyond the possibility of doubt, that God did indeed watch over me. And, at the same time, He also revealed his love afresh to my heart. I rejoiced, yet there was something in the very joy that humbled me; and the words would keep ever recurring to me

"Ah! wherefore didst thou ever doubt!" Blessed be his name, I have never doubted since. That was on our voyage out,' he continued.

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Hundreds of them,' was the characteristic reply; and began at once relating some of them. With one of those instances of prayer being On the passage home I had another deliverance. directly answered, I was much interested; and We were within sight of -; there was a having obtained leave to make any use of it I tremendous gale blowing.' And after describpleased, will here relate it—not circumstantiallying all that had been done to prevent it, 'We as he did, for I forget the names of the places, and many of the nautical phrases he used; but the substance was as follows:

After leaving Scotland, his distress increased so much, that he was quite unable to manage his business-that of shipbuilder; his friends, urging that a change would be beneficial, prevailed on him to take the command of one of his own vessels that was about to set out on a long voyage. He did so, and on the passage out they were one night in dangerous proximity to some sunken rocks or sand-banks, etc.; and though perfectly aware of it, an unaccountable drowsiness stole over him, and despite his extreme anxiety about their critical position, he could not possibly keep awake. The more he struggled against this feeling, it grew the more intense; and at length, completely overpowered, after he had given most careful instructions to Tom, the mate of the vessel, went to his cabin, and sank at once into a most profound sleep. While in this state, the man at the

were,' he said, 'perfectly helpless, and driving before it right on the lee-shore. My mind was stayed on God. Thoughts like this were passing through it: "O Lord, Thou knowest that it is not love of gain that has placed me in these circumstances. I am following thy own providential leadings. It is not a path of my own choosing. I give myself up to Thee. If it does not please Thee to prosper my honest endeavours to provide for the family Thou hast given me, Thy will be done. I give myself up to Thee. What Thou willest is best. I cheerfully resign the life Thou hast given into thine own hands."

'While thus engaged. an indescribable peace stole into my heart, and I praised God, and I sang. Yes; I sang and praised God with my whole heart amid that fearful scene. As I was doing so, the mate came up to me and said"Why, Mr. A., you are a strange man, singing like that. Don't you see we are driving on the rocks?"

"Yes, I see it."

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