is a vernacular tongue. Such a task of literary purification for many a book, would be a greater miracle and a greater mercy, than the sweetening of the bitter waters of Marah in the desert for the famishing Hebrews. The poisonous influences of moral impurity and error go from a book into the soul; they are not exhausted, like arsenic, on the outward frame, nor confined to a limited period of time. They burn in the mind through eternity. They outlast the fame of the author. Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment, and some they follow after. The accursed evils of a licentious book, or of a profane and infidel publication, especially if there be enough of the semblance or reality of genius in it to make it immortal through a lifetime, follow the author into the eternal world as his most damning sins, having thrust other souls into perdition by engendering in them a brood of other iniquities as their sins. But in such a case, theirs and his own are alike the author's; and we can conceive no doom more horrible than that to which those miserable beings must be reserved, that into which they must be ushered on dying, who have expended the powers of genius God has lavished upon them, in providing perennial and perpetual fountains of sin in its most alluring forms for all who come after. Dreadful in the eternal world must be the meeting of the author of an infamous, evil, lying book, with the souls that have been helped onward to ruin by the words he left behind him.

And next to the responsibility and guilt of the author is that of the publisher. All hail, we say, to every good book. It is not only so much space in the world of mind and heart well occupied, but it is an aggressive movement against the kingdom of Satan; it is a counter influence and effort against the legions of immoral publications of various hues and banners perpetually issuing from the press.-Dr Cheever.

THE PRESENT MOMENT.

How important and solemn are many of the considerations connected with the present moment of time! This moment, I who read these words am cither a regenerated soul, pardoned or saved by grace, or an unrenewed sinner, exposed to the wrath of God -a son of the Lord Most High, or a willing servant of Satan-an heir of heaven and eternal glory, or a traveller in the broad road to hopeless perdition.

This moment, whatever be my character, I am in the presence and under the immediate notice of a holy God, whose all-searching eye reads my inmost thoughts.

This moment, the power of that God, prompted by his mercy, upholds me in conscious existence, protects and preserves me from death, while some one or more of my fellow-beings is compelled to obey the summons of the "King of Terrors," and hasten to be numbered with the dead.

This moment, a record is made in that book out of which I am to be judged-a record of my present act-a record of what I am intending to do the next moment, and at some future hour-a record of the motives which now actuate me and prompt me to the performance of these contemplated acts.

The passing moment is just now going into eternity, to witness in a case soon to be tried-a case, upon the decision of which my eternal happiness or misery depends.

611

The present moment shortens the period allotted me for preparation to stand before the great white throne of God and the Lamb, and brings me so much nearer my eternal home; for

'Every beating pulse I tell

Leaves but the number less."

This moment, I am liable to be summoned before the judgment seat of the Searcher of hearts, and give an exact account of my past life and present character; for

"Dangers stand thick through all the ground

To push me to the tomb.'

This moment, if I am still an impenitent sinner, I am growing more hardened in sin and rebellion against God, and my future prospects are becoming more deeply and fearfully enshrouded in gloom.

This moment, if an unconverted soul, I am turning my back upon the bleeding, dying Saviour of sinners, and deafening my ear to all the touching accents and affectionate invitations of mercy, uttered by the spotless Lamb of Calvary!

This moment, doubtless, some soul is by neglect, or sinful act, dropping the last drop into its cup of iniquity, previous to its being given over to hardness of heart and blindness of mind for ever; and I know not, if I am still unreconciled to God, but that even now I may be passing that critical point beyond which there can be no possibility of my salvation.

This moment, O my soul! awake to action in reference to thine eternal interests; for upon the decisions of THIS MOMENT, thy future and unalterable destiny may depend! "GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER."

MOANING DEATH-BEDS.

WHAT an impressive proof of God's intolerance of sin is the awfulness of death. If he indeed felt our guilt as little as we feel our danger-if his displeasure were a thing as slight and as gentle as our alarmwhy so dreadful a visitation upon our species as death? A thing unknown to angels, and from which the whole of sentient nature shrinks, as at the approach of most unnatural violence. If God be as much at peace with the world as the world is at peaceful complacency with itself-why keep up so hard and so hostile a dispensation against it? Or if sin be of as trivial account in the estimation of heaven' as it is in the estimation of human society-how should it have brought down such a vengeance upon earth as to have smitten it with a plague of mortality throughout all its borders; and swept off to the hideousness of the grave, all the life, and beauty, and intelligence of its successive generations? That surely is no trifle, which has turned this bright and blooming world into a vast sepulchral abode for men of all ages. Its moaning death-beds, and its weeping families, and its marred and broken companionships --these are all emphatic testimonies of God's hatred of moral evil; for that sin brought all this calamity upon the world, is a principle announced to us in Scripture-and it is the only principle which resolves to us the mystery of death. And when the Scripture announces that after death cometh the judgment-O

let us not give in to the treacherous imagination, that he who hath made such fell exhibition of severity in the one, will but in the other manifest and indulge his tenderness. But let us be very sure, that, as death is to every unrepentant sinner but the beginning of his sorrows, so judgment will be to him a second death.-Chalmers.

DUTY OF VISITING THE AGED. "I SOLEMNLY charge you," said a venerable teacher of theology to his class, "to remember the aged members of the Church." The duty of visiting the aged and infirm members of the Church of Christ is not peculiar to ministers. The members of Christ's body sympathize one with another, and it is peculiarly fitting and imperative, that the young and active should contribute to the happiness of the aged and infirm.

The aged love to receive attention at the hands of the young. They rejoice to know they are not forgotten. They rejoice to know there are those who are active in that cause which they love so well-to I which their best energies have been given, and for which their prayers still ascend.

Unless we are especially watchful, we shall neglect this duty. Its objects do not meet us in the course of business. They are not seen in the streets. Perhaps they are not seen in the house of God. In their retirement, they are easily forgotten.

We must make an effort to bear them in mind. We must remember they are our elder brethren and sisters in the Lord. The friends of their youth have gone, and left them "lone pilgrims in this vale of tears." They are cut off from the sources of enjoyment which are open to us. Sickness, solitude, decaying vigour of mind as well as of body, commend them to our sympathy.

Let us remember the aged. Let us cheer their lonely hours by friendly visits. Let us tell them what is doing for Christ in his Church. Let us talk with them about that better world which they are soon to enter.

We shall find the performance of this duty profitable to ourselves. The most impressive comments upon divine truth I have ever heard, have been those uttered by aged saints upon passages of Scripture repeated for their especial comfort. We also secure the prayers of those saints, and who can tell how great will be the effect upon our usefulness?

The performance of this duty is most acceptable to

the Saviour. He regards all the kindness shown to his children as shown to himself. We know how he feels towards his aged suffering followers. What can be more pleasing to him than that we should entertain similar feelings towards them, and express those feelings by appropriate actions? What actions I will receive a surer reward?

PRAYER FOR THE HEATHEN.

How few Christians in our Churches seem really to have the case of the heathen upon their hearts, so as to be impelled by their own irrepressible emotions to linger at the throne of grace and wrestle in prayer, as those who cannot be denied! How rarely do they plead for the outpouring of the Divine Spirit upon the six or eight hundred millions of Pagans and Mohammedans, as they do sometimes for sinners of their own household or community! And how often does it happen even at the monthly concert of prayer for missions, that the whole missionary field abroad

is despatched in a very few words, while the burden of the petitions is, the disproportionately magnified wants of the small parish where the meeting is held. Now it seems to me, we can never produce any great results until a change is produced in this respect in the Churches at home. Conversions of individuals will occur wherever the gospel is faithfully preached; but we can never expect to see "nations born in a day," until Christians generally get the heathen world upon their hearts, and plead for their salvation as a man would plead for his life. God seems to be saying to his Church, "Be it unto thee according to thy faith." The faith of his people at present is small, and therefore results are small.-Rev. H. G. O. Dwight.

WHAT NEWS?

THIS question is very frequently asked, and the answer is commonly listened to with attention. If it have some connection with one's personal interest, it is remembered; if not, it soon passes from the mind. With regard to most persons, the news serve as an amusement for the passing hour, or as furnishing available topics of conversation.

It was not so with President Edwards. He informs us, that he was careful to avail himself of every source of information respecting what was taking place in all parts of the world, that he might perceive the bearings of the same on the cause of Christ. He looked upon this world as belonging to Christ. He regarded the history of the world as the history of redemption. Every event furnished him with an occasion of thanksgiving or of prayer.

The same was true of the apostolic Elliot. When incidents had been related in his hearing, and had formed the subject of conversation, he used to say, "Now let us turn all this into prayer."

The example of these holy men suggest the light in which the news of the day are to be regarded, as The religious, and even the secular newspaper, may furnishing occasions for thanksgiving and prayer. thus become an assistant to devotion. He who takes up his newspaper for the purpose of finding occasions for lifting up his heart to God in thanksgiving or supplication, will find it more and more interesting and valuable. He will render a more perfect obedience to the injunction to pray without ceasing, and will see more clearly the hand of God in the government of the world.-Puritan.

Fragments.

CHRIST the divine, partook of the human nature that He might make us the human partakers of the divine nature.

"FOLLOW ME."-To follow Christ's example is like walking in a path which the Saviour's previous footsteps have trodden into smoothness, and lighted with the lamp of his own Spirit.-Caroline Fry.

"HE SHALL NOT BE AFRAID OF EVIL TIDINGS."What we term casualty, is really Providence accomplishing deliberate designs, but concealing its own interposition. How comforting this reflection!Hervey.

OPPOSITE EFFECTS OF CHRIST'S LOVE.-The love of Christ is both uniting and separating. It unites to his people, while it separates from the world.—Anon.

prayer.

19. There wants nothing but a believing prayer to turn every promise into a performance.-Mason.

20. Never was faithful prayer lost at sea. No merchant trades with such certainty as the praying saint. Some prayers, indeed, have a longer voyage than others, but they return with the richer lading at last.-Gurnall.

21. Heartless, lifeless, wordy prayer, the fruit of convictions and gifts, or of custom and outward occasions, however multiplied, and whatever devotion they seem to be accompanied withal, will never engage spiritual affections to them.-Owen.

22. Prayer is as much needed in this, as in any former age of the world.

23. The richest saint must be, and is, an humble beggar at grace's door all his days; and Christ is the Lord of the house, and the dispenser of the alms.

Trail.

24. The gift of prayer may have praise with men; but it is the grace of prayer that has power with God.-Dyer.

25. Thou wilt never have any comfort of his friendship for whom thou dost not pray.-Parr. 26. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."-James.

27. "He [Jesus] spake a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint."-Luke.

28. If there was more prayer, there would be more converts and fewer critics, more penitents and fewer sleepers in all our churches.

29. As some devils are cast out by prayer and fasting only, so fit men are brought into the ministry by prayer only.

30. I must pray more. The great error of my life has been in not praying as often and as fervently as I should. I would pray always with all prayer. Revive me, O Lord! Open thou my mouth. Put a live coal on my lips.

RECONCILIATION.

Two celebrated ministers had quarrelled; they refused to speak to each other; when another eminent minister adopted the following plan to reconcile He wrote and left at the house of each these lines :— them, after several others had been tried in vain.

"How rare that task a prosp'rous issue finds
Which seeks to reconcile discordant minds!
How many scruples rise at passion's touch!
This yields too little, that too much.
Each wishes each with other's eyes to see;
And many sinners can't make two agree.
What mediation, then, the Saviour show'd,
Who singly reconciled us all to God!"

It is said that upon receiving the lines each minis. ter left his residence to seek the other, and that they met in the street, where a perfect reconciliation took place.

GOD IN THE FORM OF A SERVANT. WHAT is more glorious than to see him in human form who is the Creator of man? In the mother's womb he is conceived, who is for ever seated in the Born from eternity from the

Father's bosom.

Father without a mother, he is born in time of a mother without a father. In swathing-bands lies wrapped He who clothes the earth with shrubs and trees, has adorned the heaven with stars, and filled the sea with fish. He, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, is shut in by a narrow crib, and nourished on the mother's breast. He grows in wisdom, whose eternity is neither augmentable nor diminishable. He grows in grace, who is the original author of all grace. He whom the whole creation worships, before whom every knee shall bow, is subject to parents. The Lord is baptized by the servant, the God by the man, the King by the subject. He whom the angels serve, is tempted by the devil. He who is bread, hungers; He who is the fountain, thirsts; He who is the way, is weary. Glory allows itself to be put to shame, Majesty to be brought low. Life gives itself up to death.-Schaff.

Fragments.

IT won't do to pore too long over our blunders. It is by beholding the beauty of the Lord that we are changed into the same image.

upon each of his children, as if he had but one to When we find God ministering to, and attending attend to, how should we endeavour individually to lay out ourselves for Him, as if he had no other child to serve Him!

God often crosses the thoughts of our hearts, that He may perform the thoughts of His heart.