Then Tract distribution is an important department of christian labour. It means something more than carrying round tracts one week and changing them the next. It requires friendliness of deportment, urbanity of manner. There must be no indifference to the feelings of the poor,— no neglect of the delicate attentions of christian courtesy,-none of that lofty, laboured condescension that wounds, offends, and estranges, those visited; but a most careful laying aside of all assumption, a constant remembrance that in the eyes of God "rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all." Opportunities for conversation must be sought diligently and discreetly. There must not only be the word "fitly spoken;" but it must be spoken "in season." When to speak is as much a matter for anxious reflection as what to speak. And on all occasions there must be that law of kindness which is so powerful, that might of gentleness which is so irresistable. Then there is the visitation of the sick; not those only of the household of faith, but the world. This is especially woman's office. As a christian she should not be content to delegate this to the Home Missionary only. It forms an important part of her mission in society to minister to the afflicted; what an opportunity of usefulness opens to her here! How her own spiritual gifts and graces will abound by the exercise of her devotional and benevolent feelings! How many a sick chamber would prove a vestibule to the church, if christian women would be earnest in their vocation as visitors of the sick! Not only the afflicted, but their friends, would feel constrained to yield to the appeal, "Come with us and we will do thee good." This department of duty, equally with the foregoing, requires the cultivation of the intellect. No christian should be content with present attainments, either of mind or soul. No age of the world's history has ever afforded such opportunities for intellectual improvement, and therefore in no age has so great a responsibility rested on christians. It is imperative that women, in order to be useful, should be able to "give a reason for the hope that is in them." They should study the word of God most diligently. They should, above all things, exercise themselves in prayer. Remembering that though the holy women of old were celebrated for a great diversity of gifts and graces, yet they all were alike in one particular-they were all women of prayer. Miriam the poet, Deborah the judge, Hannah the prophet, Esther the queen,were all women of prayer. There is no such thing as a christian who cannot think and feel a prayer, and all should strive to be able at suitable times to utter with propriety and reverence what they think and feel. Prayer is the spiritual thermometer that tells the temperature of the soul. If this spiritual gift was the attribute of the heroines of the old dispensation, how much more was it the distinction of the women of the New Testament. The blessed Virgin, -the devout Elizabeth, -the holy Anne, the careful Martha,-the contemplative Mary, -the faithful Magdalene, the intelligent Priscilla,-the hospitable Lydia,-the benevolent Dorcas, were all women of prayer. The first assembly of christians after the ascension of the Redeemer, appears to have been a prayermeeting (Acts i.), at which the mother of our Lord was present. The first European church was formed at a prayer-meeting, where a few women were assembled, and where Lydia was converted. Not a merely nominal place had the women of old in the church. They were active, earnest, intelligent. More than eighteen centuries have passed away. Christianity, like a mighty lever, has raised the kingdoms where it has been introduced, to splendid heights of civilization and intellectual greatness, society too often ignorant or oblivious of the great moving power that has propelled it; and shall woman deem her work is ended, and that. she may wrap herself in the mantle of indifference, and slumber while the world encroaches on the church? Oh, surely not! As of old,-aye, more than of old, for the exigency of the church is as great, and her opportunities now are greater,-she should feel it incumbent on her to be faithful unto death." There must always be members, female members, in every church, who, from circumstances they cannot control, are unable to engage in any of the departments of christian duty enumerated, and yet who may contribute to the prosperity and extension of the church by their conduct. It is too often the case that the idle members of a church are the discontented members. If they have not leisure for usefulness, they find leisure for murmuring. Now, if people can do nothing else for the cause of christianity, they can at least, if faithful to their duty, true to their profession, discipline their mind and subordinate their tempers, so that such an anomalous thing as an angry, a gloomy, an abrupt, a censorious christian, shall become obsolete in the church. Who can doubt that the church must soon powerfully influence the world, if its members, by their urbane demeanour, their mild forbearance, their charitable consideration, constrain observers to say, "Behold how these christians love ?" The church should not only be the hallowed abode whence is obtained inward illumination, but the school of outward propriety, whose rules should "Lay the rough paths of peevish nature even, Thus, without in the slightest degree diverging from what all admit to be the recognized province of woman, we perceive that if she fulfilled her duty in and to the church, she could train the young, influence the dependent, instruct the ignorant, arouse the indifferent, minister to the afflicted, and produce in the church an atmosphere of light and love. Let none say, "Who is sufficient for these things?" without also remembering the words, "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth If God ask a question, we should listen to it, think of it, and prepare an answer. Here the Lord puts a question to us; it refers to the brevity of our mortal existence; he asks each one of us, "What is your life ?" We think much of it. We make great provision for it. We spend much thought upon it. We are very careful to preserve it. But what is it? Let us ponder this question. Let us give it the attention it deserves. It is especially suitable to us when shut up in our sick chamber, when afflicted and tried with losses and crosses, or at the commencement of a new year. Our sufferings may be great, our trials may be many, but they must be short, for what is our life? Let us look At its duration. It is exceedingly brief. No one figure can set forth its brevity, or sufficiently affect our minds with it, and therefore many are employed. It is like a flower, which springs up under the influence of an eastern sun, which blossoms for an hour, and then fades and dies. It is like a shadow, which lessens and lessens until in a few minutes it is gone. It is like the shuttle which flies from the weaver's hand, and passes before the eye so swiftly, that one can but just see it and say, It is gone. It is like the wind which rushes by us; we hear it, we feel it, and it is no more. It is like the dried leaf, or the thistle down, which is made the sport of the breeze, and soon carried out of sight. In one passage in the book of Job, we have figures taken from three elements, to represent its rapid flight. It is swifter than a post, which travels with the greatest speed, and makes no delay. It is like the swift ships, with all their sails spread, which, with the canvass crowded, glide along the watery way. It is like the eagle hastening to its prey, compelled by hunger; with strong pinions it cuts the air, and is soon at the point where it would be (Job ix. 25, 26). What, then, is your life? "It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." What is it in retrospect? Look back over the past ten or twenty years; how swiftly they have passed away; and every year appears to pass more quickly than the last. What is it in comparison? What are your thirty, or forty, or even seventy years, if compared with the age of the antediluvian patriarchs,-Methuselah for instance? But what are they in comparison with eternity? Think of endless duration, of interminable ages; and while you think of them, ask, "What is my life ?" Ah, what? No comparison can be drawn, but the thought may be improved. May the Lord help us to improve it. This naturally leads us to enquire, What is its design? Why was life given us? Why is it continued to us? It has reference to three parties. First, to ourselves; and the design is to prepare us for eternity. We must live for ever; but how depends upon the present. If we live in sin here, we must live in suffering for ever. If time is spent in folly, eternity will be spent in bitter, unavailing remorse and sorrow. If we believe in Jesus, exercise repentance toward God, are renewed in the spirit of our minds, and devote our lives to God's service, then eternity will to us be an endless existence in pleasure, satisfaction, and unspeakable delight. In reference to God; the design of our life is to glorify him, which we can only do by believing his promises, embracing his Son, observing his precepts, and consecrating our time and all our talents to his praise. Here we should live for God, and then in eternity we shall live with God. Here we should aim in all things to honour God, and then in eternity God will honour us. In reference to our fellow-men; the design of our life is to benefit and do them good. No one is created for himself. Each one is bound to his fellow, and every one should aim to benefit the whole. We should serve our generation by the will of God. And life is misapplied, it is squandered, it is wasted in folly, if we do not use it to secure our eternal salvation, to promote God's glory, and to advance the holiness and happiness of our fellow-men. What is its character? Looking at its natural character, it is a gift. conferred upon us by our beneficent Creator. A gift which, if rightly used, will prove invaluable; but which, if abused, will be an occasion of eternal regret. God gave us life; he placed us high in the scale of his creatures; he made us capable of serving, enjoying, and glorifying him for ever; he has given us also the means of grace, set before us the way of salvation, and promised his Holy Spirit unto them that ask him. Having given us life, he has crowned that life with loving kindness and tender mercies, and has pointed out the way by which we may obtain everlasting blessedness. But let us look at its moral character, what is our life in reference to others? Is it exemplary? Is it convincing? Is it useful? Is it likely to make a good impression? What is our life in reference to ourselves? Is it holy or profane? Is it godly or ungodly? Is it becoming an immortal being, one who must live for ever? This view of the subject is not sufficiently attended to by many. Is it by us? What is the importance of our life? Ah, who shall say? Who can describe, what language can set forth, the importance of our present life? It is the bud of being; the flower will not open on this side the grave. It is the youth of existence; we shall not be full-grown in this world. It is the seed-time of eternity; what is sown now will be reaped in a changeless state. It is the introduction to immortality. What then is its importance? Ask the dying sinner, whose eyes are just opened, whose soul is just awakened to the solemnities of the eternal world. What reply will he give? Look at his death-struck countenance, mark the expression of his half-glazed eye, hear the accents of his tremulous voice; but he fails, he tries in vain to set forth the importance of the present life. He exclaims, "O that I had my time over again! O that I had one year, one month, one week, of the time I have squandered! But wishing is in vain. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved.' The importance of life I cannot describe. The value of time I can never declare." Ask the lost soul. The soul which, like the rich man, lifts up its eyes in hell, being in torments. Despair now rules over the immortal spirit. Agonies, beyond description, torture the never dying intellect. What is its estimate of the importance of life? But it would require a new language to describe, unearthly figures to illustrate, and a voice such as we have never heard, to set forth its estimate of the precious gift. Only in the depths of hell, or in the highest heavens, is the value of life really known. The glorified saint, while he tunes his golden harp, sings his never dying song, and drinks in pure and celestial pleasure, can estimate, but not fully describe, the importance of this present life. Sinner, what is your life? Is it sin? Time spent in opposing God? Time squandered upon folly? Time dreamed away to no useful purpose? Is it trifling? Oh, how many trifle away their precious time! They despise their own souls. They live as if existence were bounded by time, and all beyond were annihilation. Is it folly? How many live fools! They provide for the body; but they neglect the soul. They live for time; but they lose sight of eternity. The accepted time passes away unheeded. The day of salvation is spent in sin. They only lay a foundation for everlasting self-condemnation, and open in their own hearts a source of never ceasing agony. Believer, what is your life? Is it Christ? Can you say with Paul, "For me to live is Christ ?" Does Christ live in you? Are you spiritually minded, and do you find it life and peace? Is it a wise preparation for eternity? Are you living now as you will wish you had lived by and bye? Life is at best but short; let us improve it. Life is uncertain; let us make sure work for eternity. Life, if rightly viewed, is very solemn; let us spend it as intelligent and accountable creatures should. And when tempted to trifle, when inclined to squander away a day or an hour, let the question influence our decision, "What is your life?" If it is brief, should it be spent thus ? And let the Saviour's question be seriously considered by all who make gain the end of life,— "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark viii. 36, 37). Reader, the time is short, eternity is near, salvation is of infinite importance; let us therefore decide, and accept the Saviour's glorious invitation at once, and so shall we be saved for ever. New-Park-Street, London. JAMES SMITH. THE DESIGN OF THE BIBLE. Suppose, dear reader, that you were invited by some mighty prince to visit his court in some distant, and, to you, unknown land, with the assurance that when there, he would confer upon you the highest honour, and supply you with every thing which could make you happy. Suppose that only one individual knew this country, and that on his return he had written a book, for your guidance in travelling to it. Suppose, further, that he had described the country in all its varied and enchanting beauty, the inhabitants in all the peculiarities of form and language which distinguish them, and the customs and employments which amuse their retirement or contribute to their individual and social pleasure. Moreover, that he had so clearly pointed out the way, that you could not miss it, and mentioned every danger, so that they might all be avoided; that he had told every thing you would need, and pointed out the various places where you might stop and obtain refreshment and repose. Once more, suppose that, to relieve all your doubts, and to inspire the fullest confidence, the king had stamped this volume with his own sanction, and assured you, by his chief minister, that it was correct. Would you not read it? Would not your days and nights be given to it without interruption, till you had mastered its contents? I think you would examine every part, mark every important or doubtful passage, and comply, if possible, with all its directions to the very letter. Would not your folly be great, in proportion to the object you were seeking, if you should neglect it? Should you put it in your trunk, or lay it aside, would it not indicate that you valued it but slightly, that you attached but little importance to the opinions of the writer, and only lightly esteemed the attestation of the monarch himself? Would mistake, failure, or ruin, in such a case surprise you? I think not. Need I say, that the Bible is more than this. That it only shows us the pathway to heaven. It is the man of our council, and the guide of our feet. It is written for us, and it appeals to us; and not to read it, or only partially to follow it, is to extinguish the only light which shines in the world, and to grope our way in the thick darkness. No man, no nation, "can cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despise the word of the Holy One of Israel," without danger of the most fearful kind. "Where no vision is the people perish." Scarborough. B. EVANS. THE NEW YEAR'S HYMN. Psalm xxxiv. 3. Whatsoever time may bring, Whether weal or woe betide, Gratitude requires we sing Mercies past, and wants supplied Ye the new-born year who see, Magnify the Lord with me! We through dangers have been brought, Seen and unseen, night and day; Past deliverances wrought, His parental care display- And shall not the eye of faith Firm rely on all he saith, Trust his promise to the last Ye another year who see, Magnify the Lord with me! Universal blessings pour'd, With our several mercies came: Joyfully exalt his name- Christian Ladies' Diary |