Jesus. The Sun of righteousness is approaching to rise on those benighted lands, and the dawning light appears.. As he rises, the darkness will vanish, and India, and Burmah, and China, and all the surrounding countries will

be full of light.

Yes, the world will soon be full of light. He who gave the word will spread it all abroad. The isles are waiting for his law. Ethiopia is stretching out her hand to God-all nations are hastening to be blessed: Behold by the eye of faith the men of all the earth worshiping before the Lord their Maker. Hark! the nations are glad and sing for joy; for God shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Then shall they beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

"The tribes of men will be the Lord's,
And earth his wide and fair abode,

The sun in all his daily course

Shine only on the sons of God."

Dear children, thus behold the scene of the spreading gospel and while you look upon

it, thank God for what your eyes see and your ears hear, and mingle your alms and your prayers with the alms and the prayers of all saints; and while you hear of the labours, and trials, and faith, and success of those who go forth to spread the word, learn for yourselves the lesson of Christian charity and zeal; and as you grow in stature, give more, and labour and pray more, that the saving gospel may be known in all the earth. And while you do so, and rejoice in the efforts which are making to bless and save the distant heathen, consider more deeply the importance of your own salvation. God is teaching you by the the sight of the eye, and by the hearing of the ear to call for your own immortal soul that you may rejoice in the light of the gospel, be made like to the holy Jesus, and be prepared to enter the heavenly city.

THE SUN AND RAIN.

MATTHEW, v. 45.

He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

THE blessed Saviour is speaking in these words of the love of your Father which is in heaven and points you to the scenery of that love which is spread out before the whole family of man. Even now, as it it is said in the text, "He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." In them and through them he gives to your eyes the first lessons of his goodness, and so invites you by the sun and the rain to turn back your wandering footsteps towards Him who pursues your wandering, that he may hold up the scenery of his love. Behold the scenery of the sun and

rain; by which your heavenly Father calls up to your sight and to your use, all that lives and all that grows.

What a harbinger of mercy is the dawning of the day, when the sun drawing near the eastern horizon, throws upwards the first gleams of morning light! As he advances, how fast does he chase away the darkness and pour over the world a flood of light, in which the eye may see all nature in her glory! And at the instant when he rises, what streams of fire go forth to astonish and to bless the waking world!

And as he travels across the sky, how does he cheer and gladden the whole circle of the earth. He pours his light into every dwelling, and sheds it on every eye. In that flood of light which he pours over all, man looks upon his fellow, families see each other and rejoice, and the world which God has made is spread out before the eye. For hundreds and thousands of years, that same sun has risen in his morning's glory, and pursued his bright pathway through the skies; from age to age his unquenched lamp burns and shines, and never fails. From age to age he remains to exhibit

that love and kindness which the Father of all bears towards his erring creatures on his footstool. Now, millions upon millions are rejoicing in his light-Oh let the earth rejoice and praise him who makes the sun still shine in glory upon the countless millions of a disobedient world.

But look, the clouds are gathering in the sky, and the rain pours down from heaven, as if the ancient judgement of the flood were coming now again upon the world. Nofrom the day that Noah left the ark until now, the clouds have gathered not in judgement but in mercy; and whether in storms or gentle showers, God has sent down the rain from his chambers to water the earth, to refresh, and revive, and fill with plenty the dwelling-place of sinners.

"He maketh his sun to rise and his rain to fall upon the evil and upon the good." Alternate sunshine and showers create the riches of the world. By the sun and rain God makes the spring return. The warmed and watered earth softens the seeds cast into it, and they spring up before the eyes of won dering men. In a little time, the earth is covered