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ample, John iii. 16, "God so loved the world," &c. The categorical proposition is, God loved the world; yet it is neither necessary to insist much on the term God, nor to speak in a common-place way of the love of God; but divide the text into two parts: first, the gift which God in His love hath made of His Son; secondly, the end for which He gave Him, "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

There are texts of reasoning, which are composed of an objection and an answer, and the division of such is plain; for they naturally divide into the objection and solution. As Rom. vi. 1, 2: "What shall we say then," &c.

There are some texts of reasoning which are extremely difficult to divide, because they cannot be reduced into many propositions without confusion. As John iv. 10: "If thou knewest the gift of God," &c. I think it might not be improper to divide it into two parts, the first including the general propositions contained in the words; and the second, the particular application of these to the Samaritan woman.

There are sometimes texts which imply many important truths without expressing them; and yet it will be necessary to mention and enlarge upon them, either because they are useful on some important occasion, or because they are important of themselves. Then the text may be divided into two parts; one implied, and the other expressed.

In texts of history, divisions are easy; sometimes an action is related in all its circumstances, and then you may consider the action in itself first, and afterward the circumstances of the action.

To render a division agreeable, and easy to be remembered by the hearer, endeavour to reduce it as often as possible to simple terms.

As to sub-divisions, it is always necessary to make them; for they very much assist

composition, and diffuse perspicuity into a discourse; but it is not always needful to mention them; on the contrary, they must be very seldom mentioned, because it would load the hearer's mind with a multitude of particulars.

Discussion.-There are four methods of discussion. Clear subjects must be discussed by observation, or continued application; difficult and important ones by explication or proposition.

1. By Explication.-The difficulty is in regard to the terms; to the subject; or to both.

1. Explication of Terms. - The difficulties of these arise from three causes; either the terms do not seem to make any sense, or they are equivocal, forming different senses; or the sense they seem to make at first appears perplexed, improper, or contradictory; or the meaning, though clear, may be controverted, and is exposed to cavil. First, propose the ratio dubitandi, which makes the difficulty; then determinejit as briefly as you can.

2. Of Things.-Difficult things. If the difficulty arise from errors, or false senses, refute and remove them; then establish the truth. If from the intricacy of the subject itself, do not propose difficulties and raise objections; but enter immediately into the explication of the matter, and take care to arrange your ideas well.

2. Important things, though clear, must be discussed by explication, because they are important.

There are two sorts of explications: the one simple and plain, needs only to be proposed and agreeably elucidated; the other must be confirmed, if it speak of fact, by proofs of fact; if of right, by proofs of right; if of both, by proofs of both. A great and important subject, consisting of many branches, may be reduced to a certain number of propositions or questions, and discussed one alter the other.

Family Reading.

MODE OF CONDEMNING INTEMPERANCE.

THE modern advocates of Temperance are often charged with intemperance of spirit and language, in reprobating the crying sin of the land and the innumerable enticements and temptations thereto. But with open eyes to behold the ravages of the evil, under the consideration of its consequences, it is natural and becoming to wax warm, and in denouncing that evil it were criminal to be calm. Perhaps, however, no modern advocate of teetotalism, has in boldness of appeal, and in condemnation of the evil and destructive thing, at all equalled some of the preachers of righteousness

and temperance in years gone by. For instance, the celebrated Bolton in the year 1630, thus addressed the lords and judges in an assize sermon:

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My reverend and noble lords, give me leave to clothe the thoughts of the country in a word or two. We much rejoice in you, and bless God for you, as men of singular and known integrity, special friends to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and a great honour and happiness to these parts, and heartily pray that we may hold you still; and therefore my entreaty unto your lordships is, that you would courageously advance

forward, and do like yourselves, and nobly still. Be yourselves as mighty torrents, armed both with just and holy laws, and the godly resolution of your own noble spirits, to bear back and beat down the common crying and reigning sins of our country. In a word, be unto the oppressed and innocent as a refuge from the storm, but as a terrible tempest upon the face of every human beast, and son of Belial. And O that you could help us, that God's people might not perish for want of bread! Is it not a pitiful thing that, in such a dear year especially, it should be almost as hard a work to get down a wicked alehouse, as to win Dunkirk? That malsters should snatch, as it were, the grain from the mouths of the poor in the market-place to uphold these hell-houses, these nurseries of the Devil; that magistrates should be so unmerciful as neither for God's sake, nor the king's sake, nor the poor's sake, nor their own souls' sake, to take the utmost penalties for blasphemies, alehouse-hauntings, drunkenness and profanations of the Lord's-day? And were it not an honourable course, and worthy to have an universal contribution over the country, to pull down something the excessive prices in market towns for the poor, thereabouts, during this extremity? But I leave it to your lordships' charitable wisdom to do the best you can possibly; that the blood of the poor be not added to the already crying sins of the kingdom to hasten God's judgments upon us and our long-since deserved ruin; and in the meantime, you need not fear the face of the proudest devil, whether incarnate or in his own shape; for while you thus advance God's glory, and truly honour the King, assure yourselves, the hearts, and tears, and prayers of all good men shall be for you; and yours shall be the crown and comfort, when all profaneness and profane opposites to the good way; all the enemies of God, and pestilent packings and complotments of the Devil's agents against God's people, shall be buried in hell."

J. M.

HOW TO PROFIT BY A SERMON. "I DID not enjoy the sermon at all today," said Martha, throwing herself into an easy chair. "I think Mr. K. was very dry and dull; I got so tired. I only wished he was through, half an hour before he was."

"Why, Martha," said Alice, a look of surprise filling her sweet brown eyes; "it was a real feast for me. I have seldom enjoyed a Sabbath more."

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"Your two reports vary considerably," said Uncle William, whose lame foot prevented him from attending chapel. "I find that I am benefited by a sermon just in proportion as I pray for a blessing on it. If worldly thoughts come into one's heart as they walk along, if they are employed in observing this one's bonnet, and that one's dress, this new stranger, or that old friend," and he gave his dissatisfied niece a shy glance, we shall no doubt think the preacher very dry and the hour long. But if we take a prayerful heart along with us, we shall see in every true Bible thought that is brought before our minds, something to suit our case, some spiritual food to make the soul grow. Always go to chapel, my children, with a prepared heart, and you will surely get good. If not, you will be hardened instead of benefited. You know the same sunshine melts wax, and hardens clay. That great man, William Wilberforce, was deeply concerned for the salvation of his friend Pitt. He prevailed on him to go to Mr. Cecil's church with him one day, where they heard a precious dis

course on the atonement for sin which Jesus Christ has made. As they walked away, the good man asked his friend how he liked Mr. Cecil; he replied, in all candour, 'I did not understand anything he said."

AUSTRALIAN JOHN, HIS OLD MOTHER, AND THE ONIONS.

BY THE REV. R. W. VANDERKISTE.

THE sun is the sun, whether his rays illume the summit of the loftiest mountain, or light up the recesses of the lowest deep. Height and depth alter not the character of his light, nor change the qualities of his rays. If they meet in their downward course the stupendous water-gushes of a Niagara, and there form the rainbow; or if they cast forth hues of the rose, as they repose upon the crystal glaciers of a Jungfrau, they are yet the rays of the same sun. It is so with faith. It has the same rays which work by love, and the same rays which purify the heart, come they to the palace, the cottage, the prince, the peasant, or the peer. They ever emanate from the Sun of Righteousness, arising with healing in His wings; that man may go forth, and grow up in the beauty and strength of holiness and grace.

My friend John was a shepherd; the scene of his labours, the western district of the colony. The blessed rays of which we have been writing came shining down upon John and his hut, and they made a great change there. John opened his door to receive those blessed rays, and prayed them to sit by his hearth on the best seat; and John also besought the cherished guests to shine upon his wife's heart, and upon his children's hearts; and they did so, and made themselves very much at home in John's habitation. Any Christian observer might readily perceive that they had begun to shine upon all around, in fact upon all that John had. When I visited the locality in which John lived, near the mighty mountain Cannoblas, my leisure was limited to a few hours, and in order to avoid a very circuitous route to his humble dwelling, it was necessary to strike right into the pathless bush. I tried this once and wandered about fruitlessly for some time, and in order to obviate this difficulty, John shouldered his hatchet, and marked a line of trees to his hut, thus enabling me to dive right upon him. John said it was no trouble to him to do this, and we said it was no trouble to us to visit John; we should have been very much unlike the generation of our fathers if it had, for salvation had come to his house, and with him all things had become new. Our steed soon learnt to turn to the left when he came to a certain dead log on the Guyong track; he knew there was a visit to be paid there, and a missionary's horse becomes very knowing in these matters.

There is little difficulty in ascertaining the time when an Australian shepherd may be found in his habitation. "Man," says the Psalmist, "goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening." It is thus with the Australian shepherd; he rises from his cot at daybreak, and sets forth after breakfast with his flock, accompanied by his trusy dogs. The sheep leisurely feed and spread out; should their wanderings be excessive, a shrill whistle, the meaning of which they well know, promptly recalls them; or if that intimation prove insufficient, a dog is told what to do, and he gently brings them into closer contact, for fear of the wild dog, and returns quietly to his master's side. The sheep, shepherd, and dogs, gently progress, until the shortened shadows of all things tell of noon; the sheep then commence their homeward course, or if they do not, are gently headed by their canine guards that they may do so; and ere the shadows of the evening are stretched out, the flock is in fold, the dogs are lying around keeping their watch, and the shepherd is taking his evening meal; generally with the hut-keeper, his only companion;

sometimes, like John, in the centre of an affectionate wife and children :

"There, seated by the blazing fire,
The babe repays its toil worn sire;
And mild, meek mother, smiles to see
Her heart-buds blooming round her knee."

When I reached John's forest-home, the best it afforded was always placed before me. Damper, salt-beef, salt-mutton, and tea, generally without milk, may form a contrast to the table of many a home; but the sauce of the bush imparts heightened flavours to common things, and tea has never been sweeter to me than when I have thrown myself from my horse and partaken of it at the invitation of rough men camped by the track side of these vast countries (they might be bushrangers for aught I knew or feared); endeavouring to sow spiritual things to them the while. John's children learnt hymns to repeat to me, and were always ready for examination in the progress they had made under home instruction, for from any other school they were far, far away. John would attend a place of worship, and hired a man occasionally on the Sabbath to mind his sheep, that he might do so. It was his happiness, and that which is a man's happiness will he seek after; it was his pleasure, and that which is a man's pleasure will he strive for. John would begin, "I feel, Sir, that I can't be sufficiently thankful for my mercies. The Lord has done great things for me, a poor sinner, praises be to His name! I feel, Sir, that I can't be sufficiently thankful to my blessed Saviour for His mercies." In these conversations respecting mercy and judgment, John's wife was far from keeping silence, her voice was vocal with praise. On one occasion she gave me the following relation:-The rafters of the hut were thickly studded with bunches and ropes of very fine onions, and pointing to them, she exclaimed, "Bless the Lord, Sir! He's very good to us. Look at those beautiful onions; John sent his old mother in England £20 last year, and £20 this year; we never could have done it, though, but for the great crop of onions. You know, Sir, Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase." "Oh," said she, "God's very good to us, and what a comfort it is to John's old mother!"

Next year John's old mother became a tenant of another world, where old mothers no longer need financial benefits, even should they be the sweet-smelling savours of filial affection. The crop was afterwards an ordinary one. The wonderful crop ceased with the ceasing of the need of John's old mother.-Lost, but not for Ever.

THE SWEARER REBUKED.-A poor shepherd, addicted to the habit of swearing, was gently reminded by a minister who heard him of the Scripture precept, "Swear not at all;" to which he replied, "He meant no

"True,

harm; 'twas only a way he'd got." my friend," was the minister's answer, “but the same good book tells you and me, 'There is a way which seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.''

Household Hints.

THE FUNDS OF FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

THE Registrar of Friendly Societies in England, having received from members of such societies numerous complaints of the misapplication of the funds, has thought it right to lay a case before the Attorney-General on the subject. The following is a copy of such case, and the Attorney-General's opinion thereon :—

CASE.

Under the Act 18 and 19 Vic., c. 63, s. 9, Friendly Societies may be established for the purpose of raising by voluntary subscriptions of the members thereof, with or without the aid of donations, a fund for any of the following objects (that is to say):

:

1. For insuring a sum of money to be paid on the birth of a member's child, or on the death of a member, or for the funeral expenses of the wife or child of a member.

2. For the relief or maintenance of the members, their husbands, wives, children, brothers, or sisters, nephews, or nieces, in old age, sickness, or widowhood, or the endowment of members or nominees of members at any age.

3. For any purpose which shall be authorised by one of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, or in Scotland by the Lord Advocate, as a purpose to which the powers and facilities of this Act ought to be extended:

Provided that no member shall subscribe or contract for an annuity exceeding £30 per annum, or a sum payable on death, or on any other contingency, exceeding £200.

In addition to the voluntary subscriptions and donations by which these objects are to be carried out, by the 25th section it is enacted that a contribution shall be made to defray the necessary expenses of management, and a separate account shall be kept of such contributions and expenses.

By the 24th section of the same Act it is enacted that if any officer, member, or other person, being or representing himself to be a member of such society, or the nominee, executor, administrator, or assignee of a member thereof, or any person whatsoever, by false representation or imposition, shall obtain possession of any moneys, securities, books, papers, or other effects of such society, or having the same in his possession, shall withhold or misapply the same, or shall wilfully apply any part of the same to purposes other than those expressed or directed in the rules of such society, or any part thereof, it shall be lawful in England for any justice of the peace acting in the county or borough in which the place of business of such society shall be situated, upon complaint made by any person on behalf of such society, to summon the person against whom such complaint is made to appear at a time and place to be named in such summons; and any two justices

present at the time and place mentioned in such summons shall proceed to hear and determine the said complaint, in manner directed by the Act passed in the 11th and 12th years of her present Majesty, c. 43; and if the said justices shall determine the said complaint to be proved against such person, they shall adjudge and order him to deliver up all such moneys, securities, books, papers, or other effects to the society, or to repay the amount of money applied improperly, and to pay, if they think fit, a further sum of money not exceeding £20, together with costs not exceeding 20s.; and in default of such delivery of effects, or repayment of such amount of money, or payment of such penalty and costs aforesaid, the said justices may order the said persons so convicted to be imprisoned in the common gaol or house of correction, with or without hard labour, for any time not exceeding three months: Provided that no person shall be proceeded against by indictment, if a conviction shall have been previously obtained for the same offence under the provisions of this Act.

By 23rd and 24th Vic., c. 58, s. 9, any application authorised by s. 24 of 18th and 19th Vic., c. 63, to be made by any person on behalf of the society, may be made by the Registrar.

In addition to rules for the payment of the contributions for the objects of the society, and necessary expenses of management, some friendly societies established before the passing of the 18th and 19th Vic. c. 63, and before there was any express provision for expenses of management, have a rule for making contributions for incidental expenses.

In several friendly societies the practice prevails of charging under the term "incidental," every expenditure incurred that does not fall on the funds raised for sickness, death, or annuities, and such charges are paid either out of the general fund or the management, or incidental expense fund, for example:

In the case of one society, the following items were charged:-Liquor at the monthly meeting, £9; band at the anniversary, £6; dinners to persons carrying banners, 6s. 9d.; donation to Lancashire Relief Fund, £5; grant for procession and dinner on the marriage of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, £10. Charges for feasting, and processions at anniversaries, the purchase or hire of banners, ribbons, aprons, and personal decorations of various kinds, for bell-ringing, &c., also occur in the accounts of some friendly societies.

QUESTIONS.

Your opinion is requested-1st. Whether any of the funds raised under the authority of the 9th or 25th sections of the Act can be legally applied to any of the items of expenses above mentioned, or to any similar items?

2nd. Whether any of the funds raised under the authority of a rule for incidental expenses

can be legally applied to any of the items of expense above mentioned, or to any similar items, and whether incidental expenses must not be such as are necessary to, or connected with, the purposes for which the society is established?

3rd. Should the opinion be that neither of the funds can be legally applied to the expenses referred to, can proceedings be taken under section 24 against the member, or officer, paying away the funds for such purpose, for wilfully applying "the funds to purposes other than those expressed or directed in the rules ?"

4th. Can any member aggrieved at such expenditure being incurred commence proceedings under section 24, as being "a person on behalf of such society," or must the consent of the society be first obtained; and if that cannot be obtained, can proceedings be taken except by the Registrar, under the 23rd and 24th Vic., chap. 58, sec. 9?

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1st. I am of opinion that no part of the funds raised under the authority of the 9th or 25th sections of the Act can be legally applied to any of the items of expenses above mentioned, or to any similar items. They are entirely unconnected either with the insurance and relief, &c., mentioned in the 9th section, or with the expenses of management referred to in the 25th.

2nd. I think that no part of any funds raised under the authority of a rule for incidental expenses can be legally applied to any of the items of expense above mentioned, or

to any similar items. The expression "incidental expenses" must be reasonably understood; and, within those limits, may receive a liberal interpretation; but it is clear that the meaning cannot be stretched beyond matters necessary to, or directly connected with, the main purposes for which the society is established.

3rd. Proceedings may be taken against the member or officer paying away the funds for any of these purposes, provided in doing so he is guilty of a wilful misapplication of the funds. In order to put the wilfulness beyond a reasonable doubt, I would advise that the attention of the various officers, &c., charged with the custody and disbursement of the funds, should be pointedly called to the state of the law on the subject, and that they should be apprised that future misapplications will be treated as wilful, and punished accordingly.

4th. I am of opinion that no person, other than the Registrar, can commence proceedings under section 24, without the consent of the society to his so doing being first obtained; but that, independent of any such consent, proceedings may be taken by the Registrar under 23 and 24 Vic., c. 58, s. 9.

Temple, July 24, 1863. WM. ATHERTON.

Under the advice of the Attorney-General, as above mentioned, it is the intention of the Registrar of Friendly Societies in England to take proceedings pursuant to 23 and 24 Vic., c. 58, s. 9, against any officer, &c., of a friendly society, who shall offend against the provisions of the 18th and 19th Vic., c. 63, s. 24.

Extracts from New Works.

SWARTZ.

Ir is not a little remarkable, that the ship in which Swartz and his brethren sailed, was lost in the river, on the return voyage, soon after she had landed the missionaries at Cuddalore. The progress of the mission, with all its details, was not only made public through the yearly reports forwarded to Denmark, but by letters regularly sent from the missionaries to the King, and to the several members of the Royal family, which were transmitted direct, by special orders, to those illustrious personages. From letters and reports now extant, it seems that the correspondence was vigorously kept upon both sides; for in one month, it appears that the missionary band wrote to, and received no less than seven letters from the King and members of his family. The friendly Governor gave Swartz a cordial welcome on his arrival, and rendered him all the aid of his official position in the carrying on of his work.

A touching account is given by one of the brethren, of the redemption of a poor child, who had been sold by her mother as a dancing girl to a pagoda. Not content with effecting her freedom, the Governor sent her to the

Mission school, paying all the expenses atten dant upon her education. He had the happiness afterwards of seeing this girl baptised, and then married to a native Christian, in a neighbouring village, where she had opportunities of doing much good amongst her country

women.

About this time some Danish colonists left their own country, and settled in the Nicobar Islands, then named Frederick's Islands, after their King.

The Government at once sent a message to the Tranquebar missionaries, requesting that some of their number might be appointed to act as chaplains to the emigrants, and also to attempt the conversion of the natives. So high was the estimate formed of their worth, that one of them was constituted Royal Danish Resident. The party located themselves at Nancowry, the capital of Frederick's Island, where they formed a settlement, to which they gave the name of New Denmark. But, ere long, the settlers began to pine for their native land. The necessaries of life were scarce, and fever broke out. One after another died, and the rest resolved to return home by the first

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