which these Querics shall be no longer read amongst us, opportunity will be afforded, as in former days, for Friends under a right concern to enter earnestly into the various subjects touched upon by them, and that thus the meetings may regain the life and liveliness which continuous verbal repetitions are pre-eminently calculated to banish. We desire that while thus losing the letter we may yet retain the spirit; for a Church that does not inquire or seek to know the real condition of its members scattered throughout the land cannot be in a condition either to satisfy their wants or to apply a remedy to their diseases.

It is perhaps a necessary condition in meetings for Church discipline that the routine business should precede all other; yet the effect is, in our apprehension, mostly injurious to the life of such meetings. Many of our readers may have observed at times the remarkable difference between a Meeting of Ministers and Elders which has been opened with some special religious subject, drawing forth the sympathy and stirring up the religious feelings of all present, and that of a similar assembly which has gone first into the answering of Queries and other business, and only taken up the extraneous, but often really most important, matter when the minds of Friends are, to a more or less extent, benumbed by routine, and therefore less vigorous for the spontaneous outflow of religious exercise concerning the perishing masses around us, and for those within our own fold.

It may be, perhaps, that an occasional modification in this respect might afford to those present opportunity to discern what would most add to the life and profit of the meetings themselves, as well as of those who attend them.

There is, we believe, a very valuable class of mind amongst us which is getting wearied of continuous changes, and longs for rest. We sympathise with this

"rest and be thankful" spirit; but nevertheless we feel that in connection with a really living Church anything like prolonged rest is no more possible than it is in the kingdom of nature. Offshoots and fresh growth, nursing and pruning, flowers and fruit, decay and lopping off and fresh buddings forth, all succeed each other in outward nature. There are, however, two modes in which reforms may be effected the one by rushing into extremes-and granting all that the dissatisfied would ask (a veritable "leap in the dark as a great statesman once designated his own act of reform) in order to purchase a lull from agitation and from further progression. The other consists in a gradual but continuous change-the fruit of one year becoming the seed for the next; a progress in which each step is carefully watched and results measured and weighed before proceeding to the next. The latter is a safe and constitutional development, but the former may induce a dangerous revolution.

Thus with our religious Society, we trust that, whilst we have a large amount of youthful energy and zeal which will impel forward, but which if unchecked might lead us into illegitimate action, we may ever also have that maturer and experienced wisdom which is ready to hold back from danger, but will follow on where the way is safe. Once more—to change the figure-a vessel cannot move on without sails, neither can she keep steady without plenty of ballast-both are alike essential for a secure voyage; let not the sails say to the ballast, nor the ballast to the sails, I have no need of thee. But by a wise adjustment of these two powers, and by the overruling guidance of the Heavenly Pilot, we would humbly hope and pray that a career of greater usefulness and a time of ever increasing religious prosperity may dawn upon and rest with our beloved Society.

EDITOR.

Loth Will inciacable, severe.

Bus move the world to one festa!
Thus in a loveless, prayeriess fear
I question, to this hears of mine.

Then doth a wondrous vision ecme,*
And far above that crystal sky
Beneath whose bright yet awill dome.
The winged and living creatures” dy →

A height of heights enthroned above,
Encircled in a bow I see.

In robe of fame a God of Love,
The Man who gave Himself for me.

* Zackiel i. verses 22 to 25.

† Ibid, verses 26 to 28.

PART II.-DEPTH.

But more than this my God would teach ;-
He smites me with a two-edged sword,
That in my measure I may reach,
Unto the stature of my Lord.

I who have known a Saviour's grace,
And tasted joys no tongue can tell,
Must now the dust with pain embrace,
And tread the shades of death and hell.

Hid from the shining of His eyes,
No glimmer from His vesture pure,
Almost my human spirit dies,
In anguish it can ill endure.

Until with tender radiance sweet,
A glory through the gloom doth pass;
It is the shining of those feet,

That in a furnace burned like brass.

Thy feet! my Saviour! can I fear?

They pierce the gloom with love and power, And make in-shining far and near,

A presence in the darkest hour.

Beyond all depths that I may know,
Those glorious guiding feet have trod;
And thus the griefs that lay me low,
But bring me to Thy feet, O God!

With visions such as these, amazed,
Confused, subdued to tears, I stand ;-
And to Thy throne of power is raised,
Clasping Thy cross, a trusting hand.

I know Thy love, yet cannot know ;-
'Tis boundless, measureless, to me
In heights-in depths-above-below-
I can but lose myself in Thee.

ANNA LLOYD.

* Revelations i.

The following biographical notice of Bogaczky has been forwarded to me by a lady in Hamburg, whose works of Christian philantingy have been her known and valued in that city. She has kindly translated it at my request from a German work entitled, “The Hymns of the Evangelical Church of Germany since the Reformation, with some notice of their Authors.' Many of your readers will doubtless be glad to know something of the writer of a bock which, for more than a century, has largely ministered to the comfort and edification of Christian believers, both on the Continent and in this country. The numerous editions still to be found in our book shops, are a proof of the enduring popularity of the work.

Nercastle-on-Tyne,

First Month 8th, 1875.

HENRY RICHARDSON.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF KARL HEINRICH VON BOGATZKY.

(Author of "The Golden Treasury for the Children of God.”) BORN 7TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1690, AT JANKOW, IN LOWER SILESIA ; DIED 15TH OF JUNE, 1774, ar HALLE.

The father of Bogatzky being a military officer in the Austrian service, and consequently away from his family, the education of the boy devolved upon his mother, a pious and patiently-suffering wife. It was from her that he learned to pray; but his school learning remained very defective.