zeal fired his soul with desire to obtain the promised prize. But the symmetry of Christian character was not yet complete, and ere it could be crowned with the sweet grace of joy and peace one grace more was needful, and for the lack of this the pilgrim was sorely discouraged. Looking on his chart, he read: "For ye have need of patience." "In patience possess ye your souls." Feeling his want of this precious grace, and finding the path too difficult for his feet to traverse, he sat down and wept; when lo! an angel form took its station silently beside him, whispering in gentle accents,

"Be a companion in the kingdom and patience of Jesus. Therefore let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

Springing to his feet the pilgrim dashed away his foolish tears, and started afresh on his journey, singing,

"Oh, eyes that are weary and hearts that are sore,
Look off unto Jesus and sorrow no more.'

Much better progress was now made by him, for the exercise of patience produced a wondrous change all around. The thorns and briars that before encumbered the path now yielded to a patient hand, and thus afforded a slow but sure foothold. Sometimes he grew weary, and longed for a rest in the pleasant fields that lay on either side; it would be so sweet to lie down and sleep, beneath some sheltering tree; but anon the angel whispered, "Be not slothful, but a follower of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise."

"But the road is so long and steep, and I cannot see the end," mourned the pilgrim: "I grow weary of the struggle." "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life!" answered the angel. "The promise is to them who patiently endure to the end. Lift up your eyes to behold the great cloud of witnesses, who, having trod the same thorny road, are enjoying the fulfillment of the promised blessing."

Thus encouraged to renewed diligence the angel and the pilgrim journeyed onward, while joyously he sang,

"Give me the wings of faith to rise

Within the veil, and see

The saints above, how great their joys,
How bright their glories be!

"Our gracious Leader claims our praise,
By His own pattern given,

And the long line of witnesses,

Shows the same path to heaven."

But ere long there came a change. Dark clouds came sweeping over the sky, and a tempest of wind and rain nearly overwhelmed the traveller on the plain. For a time he struggled bravely on, but

strength and courage at last gave way, and he sank down exhausted. He could not see his angel-companion, but she was close beside him, for like sweet music her voice came floating to his ear: "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Therefore we glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. Take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. And after they had patiently endured they received the promise, and be thou also a companion in that kingdom of patience."

No longer affrighted, the pilgrim arose and battled bravely with the angry elements that would fain have hurled him from his path. For days the storm continued, with no light from sun, or moon, or stars; but the angel ever whispered, "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer."

At last the gloomy skies brightened, and the sun again shone forth; but now the pathway led through a desert full of scorching sands and beasts of prey, with not a single oasis to refresh and cheer the fainting traveller. No tree threw its cooling shadaw, and no fountain bubbled by the roadside where he could slake his burning thirst. There was even no rock to cast its friendly shade in that weary land; but again came that cheering angel whisper: "Patience, for the desert will soon be traversed. Thou shalt know hereafter all the way by which the Lord thy God led thee.

"Bear up, bear on; the end shall tell,

The dear Lord ordereth all things well."

Then the pilgrim pressed on once more, singing,

“This great and terrible land

Of wilderness and drought,

Shall lay in the shadows behind me;
For the Lord will bring me out.

“I think, in a little while,

If I quietly wait, at length
I shall see His face in the city
Of everlasting strength.

"And sit down under the shadow

Of His tender and loving smile,
With great delight and thanksgiving,
To rest awhile."

And when the path led no longer through the desert land, but through a pleasant region of palm-trees and refreshing streams, I saw a divine likeness was being stamped upon the pilgrim's brow, even the likeness of that blessed Master in whose sufferings His followers are made partakers. And by fellowship in these sufferings he had learned to glory in tribulation also, for thereby patience was having

her perfect work, making him more and more meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. And still the angel walked beside him; and thus on and on they journeyed.

At last the traveller, wayworn and weary now, seemed to yearn for the end of his journey, and turned his head longingly to the distant horizon, as if in search of some unrevealed object. But as he sighed, "Oh, that I might reach my home!" his attendant gently whispered, "Be patient unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it. Be thou also patient; stablish thy heart, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."

At these words of cheer the pilgrim halted no longer, but looking upward, murmured,

"Let patience have her perfect work, that I may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

And from the angel's lips floated the response: "And the Lord direct your heart unto the love of God, and into the patient waiting

for Christ."

Then clear and sweet the pilgrim sang,—

"Thoughts of His coming! For that joyful day
In patient hope I watch, and wait, and pray;
The dawn draws nigh, the midnight shadows flee,
And what a glory will that sunrise be!

"Thus, while I journey on, my Lord to meet,
My thoughts and meditations are so sweet,
Of Him on whom I lean, my strength, my stay;
I can forget the sorrows of the way.'

They journeyed on for many days, until at last a broad river appeared in view, with banks shrouded in mist and darkness.

"Thou shalt soon reach home," said the angel. "Behold, the race is run, and there now remains but to cross yonder river. Fear not to enter its cold waters; for, as by patient continuance in welldoing thou wast to receive glory, and honour, and immortality, behold they are thine, and eternal life is thy portion for ever-eternal life!" And lo! at the words the mists rolled away from the river. A gleam of exceeding brightness shot athwart the gloom, revealing a glory of which earth has no conception. The pilgrim, with face transfigured, broke forth singing,

"On Jordan's stormy banks I stand,

And cast a wishful eye

On Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.'"

Fearlessly he entered the stream, while the Angel of Patience, no longer his companion, remained upon the bank with folded pinions; for her mission is on this side the stream of death, as in the heavenly

home there is no more need of patience, for there is nothing to annoy.

I saw the happy pilgrim land safely on the farther shore, amid songs of welcome, and the plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!"

As he entered his glorious home, for a moment the veil was lifted, and I caught glimpses of "a city not made with bands, eternal in the heavens." Its glittering bastions rose full and clear on my sight, and the jasper walls flashed back their glory, while the foundations, garnished with all manner of precious stones, shone with surpassing lustre. Its gates of pearl were half unclosed, and within I saw streets of shining gold, and a pure river of the water of life clear as crystal, while on the banks bloomed flowers immortal, and on either shore stood the tree of life. I saw, too, a sea of glass mingled with fire, over whose transparent surface the twilight shadows have never gathered, for there was no night there, nor aught to dim the radiance of the Sun Eternal. There was light, whose effulgence streamed from eternal fountains, forms clothed in raiment pure and white, and a glorious garniture of crown, and harp, and palm; while on my raptured ear fell strains of angelic sweetness, blended into one grand chorus of hallelujahs and harping symphonies. It was an atmosphere of holiness, and peace, and love a scene of beauty, and light, and joy.

A voice whispered to my inmost soul, "This, this is heaven!" And as the returned of earth bowed before a glorious throne, cbanting triumphal hymns o'er sin and death, I heard a new voice amid the bursts of hallelujabs, and saw the once weary pilgrim of earth joining in the joyful and eternal hymn : "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

For ever and ever! And as the sound swept onward in stillrepeating echoes, I awoke, feeling I had realised the fulfilment of the promise, "Unto them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, honour, and immortality, eternal life."

RAISING MONEY FOR CHURCH PURPOSES.

THE Apostle Paul is very good authority in religious matters, and the directions he gave the Corinthians for raising money for the poor saints at Jerusalem might with great propriety be observed by us in collecting money for religious purposes in this day. "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come (1 Cor. xvi. 2). This is a divine rule for raising money in churches, and if not the only one, is at least well adapted to us.

Every one is required to give something under this rule. One of the most fruitful sources of disaster in our church finances is the fact that the expenses are borne by a few of the members. Go to almost any church in the land, and inquire of the deacons, and you will find that not one half of the actual members make any contributions for expenses during the entire year. The burden rests upon the shoulders of a few faithful ones, But does the apostle mean that the very poor members shall contribute? The well-to-do farmer, the merchant, or professional man should certainly give; but how about the poor man, who works for daily wages and has a large family to support, or the poor widow, with whom life is a struggle? Paul says, "Let every one of you," and we presume that all are included. Giving is a grace, and the benefits derived from it should not be confined alone to the wealthy. The poor widow mentioned in the New Testament did not plead her poverty as an excuse for withholding, but cast in all her living. Every member, rich or poor, old or young, male or female, should give to the work of the Lord. As a denomination we have given too little attention to the development of liberality among the masses, but this scriptural plan, if adopted by our churches, would reach every one, and thus develop every one. A member who refuses to contribute anything to the support of the church should be considered disorderly, and should be dealt with for covetousness. No one should be exempted from this duty and privilege.

The rule requires that contributions shall be laid aside every week. This leads to systematic and regular giving. If we give every week we will find it much more convenient to pay than if we wait till the end of the year. Sixpence a week amounts to twenty-six shillings a year, and while even a poor man would scarcely miss the small sum each week, he would find it perhaps quite inconvenient to spare the larger at any one time. Some of us could perhaps spare as much as five shillings per week, but would find ourselves quite unable to pay a corresponding sum at the end of the year. Small contributions frequently made will generally result in much larger aggregates than larger ones made at long intervals. It is high time that we abandoned extra efforts and high pressure appeals, and trained ourselves to regular systematic giving. If we gave thus frequently and regularly, our ministers would not be forced, as is too often the case, to involve themselves in debt, and perhaps be disappointed at the end of the year in not receiving what was promised them. Our deacons would have the money in haud to meet current expenses, and not be forced to take risks as to the income from the church, which frequently prove disastrous to church prosperity. The giving "on the first day of the week," the time when Christians assemble for worship, would connect our offerings with our worship, and thus, like Cornelius of old, our prayers and our alms would go up together before God. No Christian should spend a Sabbath without lifting up his heart to God, nor without making an offering of his substance to Him who gives every benefit and blessing.