from a pure motive is the legitimate acting of good in vital possession. Lack of service, where opportunity and ability exist, is an indication of no existing principle of piety to prompt and constrain. We cultivate our graces by exercising our gifts. We multiply strength of heart and life by using vigorously our powers for others and God. Doing good is accumulating good. We scatter to increase. We give to gather. We sow to reap. There is a reflex influence in beneficent labours. "He that watereth others," etc. We must "follow" Christ in the path of His discipline. There was the desert and the devil, Gethsemane and the agony of blood; but both had their ministering angels. He became perfect through suffering. Heb. ii. 10. Brothers, stagger not at the mystery of suffering. The ministry of pain accomplishes an important part in the education of moral manhood. Every trial has a Divine design; every wilderness temptation and dark Gethsemane of agony, a grand disciplinary purpose. Jehovah works not in a chaos, but in an eternity of light. Behind the mystic curtain which hides the "whys" and the "wherefores" of His strange paternal and sovereign dealings with us, are His wisdom and love fitting us for higher service and richer rewards. "The trial of your faith is precious." "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." "Endure as seeing the Invisible." The invisible Manipulator of your destiny,-the invisible outcome and perfection in character of your discipline. Look out for the angels when led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Fear not to ascend the rugged hill of Calvary for crucifixion with thy Lord, for it is the only road to victory, to coronation, to glory. "If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him." Likeness to our Lord is the end of our following Him,―Restdence with our Lord the final issue thereof.

It's in the still air music lies unheard by mortal ear;

And in the marble rough unseen, lies beauty deep and clear.

To make the music needs the touch of the master player's skill;
To bring the beauty from the block the sculpter works at will.
Great Master, with Thy skilful hand evoke the music sweet
From out our life, that we may sit in gladness at Thy feet.
Great Sculptor, cut and polish us, spare not the chisel keen,
Nor let Thy form within us lie enveloped and unseen!

Do with us as Thou wilt! let nought unfinished, marred, remain;
Complete Thy purpose, that we may Thy perfect image gain.

66

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25th.-READ MARK X. 21, and LUKE X. 42. "ONE thing"-only one thing! then why make so much ado about that? You lay such stress, such emphasis upon one thing" as if it were everything. Under certain circumstances it is everything. A ship sailed proudly out of harbour, with masts, rigging,

sails, and steam apparatus, in admirable condition. Majestically she ploughed her way through sportive billows and amid romping breezes, bidding fair to make a speedy and pleasant voyage. For some distance the captain proceeded more by instinct and sight than by the science of navigation; at length he reached a point where he needed to consult his compass. But no compass could be found! He arrested the ship's course, reversed her position, intending to run back again to harbour. Night, however, outspread her raven wings, and a dense fog wrapped sea and sky and beaconlights in its ghastly folds, so that the gallant commander knew neither the latitude nor longitude of his whereabouts. Driven by the storm which gathered and growled in foaming fury, quiveringly the massive boat went lurching, plunging, crashing, on the rockribbed coast, consigning to the grave of the greedy sea the majority of the human cargo it contained. But "one thing" was lacking -only one thing, which just then was EVERYTHING, viz., THE COMPASS! So that, under certain circumstances, "one thing" assumes gigantic proportions, and absolutely becomes everything! Yes. Luxury is nothing without health; scenery nothing without sight; a feast nothing without appetite; music nothing without hearing; riches nothing without reason. One thing wanting may be everything. The young gentleman in the gospel story had riches" great riches"-he had morality, unblemished morality, for he kept all the commandments, and had, with scrupulous fidelity, from his youth up; but he lacked just one thing," Christ told him, viz: Love, supreme love to God. Love sinking self into oblivion, and shrining itself in deeds of pity and gifts of charity to the poor and needy. Love, learning addition in wealth by multiplication in benevolence. Love, making "great possessions" the synonym for great giving.

46

The young ruler had a heart, but it was swayed by law. He could keep commandments, but he could keep his riches too. was careful never to go over the rigid fence of the "Decalogue," and none the less careful never to go over to the region of selfsacrifice for the good of others. He was a blooming Pharisee,— right so far as the outward went, but totally deficient of the moral quality which distinguishes the moralist from the Christian. So, you see, there may be a keeping of commandments without being godly, an observance of the dead letter of the law without knowing anything of the vital spirit of the Gospel. Here comes in the genuine test of religion-the grand touchstone of Christian livingness, charity. If we linger at Sinai, we can never advance to Calvary. From the "two tables of stone,"-cold, hard, stern, we must pass on to the two pieces of wood, on which in

carnate God offered Himself a propitiation for the sins of all, imbibe the spirit of that sacrifice, and become tender-hearted, pitiful, generous, self-forgetful. From the "ten commandments," we must ascend to their sublime condensation into one all-embracing word-LOVE,—and hear the message the "cross " rings out on the ages and on every man: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself," neither more, nor less. This is the fulfilling of the law; this is the soul of the Gospel. Lacking this love, whatever else we may possess-knowledge, culture, riches, honours, status in morals or society-we lack the " one thing needful," which in death's grim shadows, if not before, we shall see and feel to be the absolute and infinite EVERYTHING! Without it, the prince is a pauper, the millionaire a bankrupt, the philosopher a fool, the pleasure-seeker a madman, the moralist an outcast. Life is a folly, death a defeat, eternity a bottomless pit. "One thing," only one, is needful, make sure of it at once, for it is the sum-total of everything to the soul! J. O. KEEN.

THE ROMANCE OF MISSIONS.

T would be surprising if the Moody and Sankey mission did not furnish material enough to form a deeply interesting story. If, however, anyone had ventured to weave into a religious novel only the few incidents here related, the result would have been regarded as highly coloured, if not altogether incredible. During the visit of the American evangelists to this country ten years since, an event occurred which has borne, and is still bearing fruit. A Mr. Studd attended the services at Camberwell, and such was the influence exerted upon him by Mr. Moody's addresses, that he became an entirely changed individual. From a sporting man he suddenly became an enthusiastic Christian worker. Mr. Studd, who is now deceased, began by reforming his own household. He disposed of his hunters and dogs, and his country seat henceforth became the centre of missionary effort for the district. At that time his two sons, then unknown to fame, were quietly pursuing their studies at Eton. The influence of the changed aspect of their home told upon the lads. Passing to Cambridge, the young Studds came to be regarded as among the most famous cricketers of the present generation, one of them being the captain of the University eleven. The recent visit of Messrs. Moody and Sankey to London had the effect of bringing the brothers Studd prominently forward as religious workers, along with other undergraduates

who had been alike influenced by Mr. Moody. The young Studds took an active part in the various missions, and their enthusiasm was not allowed to evaporate with the departure of the American evangelists. One of the brothers, Mr. C. T. Studd, has decided to become a missionary in China, paying his own expenses; and in addition, so it is rumoured, placing a considerable sum of money at the disposal of the Society under whose auspices he will labour. Mr. J. K. Studd, the brother, is entering upon mission work in East London, in which he will be assisted by one of Lady Beauchamp's daughters, whom he is about to marry-the fairest of the two young sisters whose sweet voices were heard throughout the entire nine months' services conducted by Messrs. Moody and Sankey. A son of Lady Beauchamp, who was chief steward at several of the missions, following Mr. Studd's example, will also devote his life to mission work in far-off China. Not content with quietly betaking themselves to heathen lands to work for the Master they decided to leave all and follow, these young men are now striving to enlist recruits under the foreign mission banner. They recently visited Cambridge, and have kindled such missionary enthusiasm in the hearts of their fellow-students that something like thirty of their number have decided to proceed to the foreign field. Encouraged by the success of their mission at Cambridge, Messrs. Studd and Beauchamp are now going through Scotland to plead the claims of the heathen world, in the hope of inducing young men north of the Tweed to cast in their lot with the ambassadors of the

Cross, who forsake home and friends to carry the message of salvation to the millions who are living in darkness.-Christian World.

REVIVALS.

My travels bring me into intimate relations with a large number of preachers. Wherever I find a man holding three specific doctrines, I expect a revival through his labours. What are these doctrines? The necessity of immediate repentance; the atonement, as held by the evangelical churches; the supreme religious authority of God's Word. Wherever I find a man in whom these doctrines are not a creed, but a life, I usually find a revival going on in a slow or a swift way. I solemnly believe that it is the Divine will that we should teach the necessity of the new birth in this life, the necessity of the atonement in its Biblical form, and the authority of God's Word in precisely the terms and tone in which the Bible teaches these truths. Wherever I find a man doubtful on either of these highest matters, I usually find a torpid church, or one that may, perhaps, be drifting into disintegration or into some foppish liberalism adapted to the wants of an easygoing age. Such an organisation may be called a church, indeed, but it is really little more than a club-house.—Joseph Cook.

Connexional Department.

MEMOIRS AND OBITUARIES.

THOMAS BRAY.

DIED, November 24th, 1884, at Battens, Beeralston, in the Callington Circuit, THOMAS BRAY, aged eighty-seven.

My father was born near the village of Ruthross, in the St. Columb Circuit, and his parents and two or three sisters were among the first members of the Bible Christian Society in that little village. His sister Catherine was the eldest of the family, he was the second, and there were younger five brothers and three sisters. His parents were thrifty and frugal, and had to work hard to provide things "honest in the sight of all men." Many interesting and touching incidents have we heard from our parents, how many, in those days, had but little here below, however much they might have needed or desired more; and the white loaf was only seen on the table at the annual feast, and at Christmas-time.

The only education which my father had was at the church Sunday-school, where he was taught to read, write, and do a few simple rules in arithmetic. He frequently spoke of his "horn-book," from which he learnt to read, and the wooden trencher from which he ate his food.

When married he settled in the village of Carnrosemary, St. Austell; and my mother was one of the first members of the church worshipping in the little Bethesda thatched chapel; and her classmates were the Revs. Paul and Matthew Robins, Mr. John Williams, and many others who loved their own "generation by the will of God," and then fell asleep in Jesus.

Father was not so religiously disposed as my mother, and allowed nearly one-half of his long life to pass before he gave his heart to God. His conversion was on this wise. Mr. Bassett, a neighbouring farmer, to whom he was deeply attached, and with whom he had spent much time in shooting (both were passionately fond of the gun), was taken suddenly ill and soon died. My father left him one night about twelve o'clock, and his friend was peacefully and calmly waiting to depart and be with Christ.

He was so affected and concerned about the safety of his own soul that, in crossing the meadow to the road on his way home, he fell on the grass and prayed for mercy;-and soon the desired blessing came. He at once joined the church, and for many years class-meetings were held in his house. Thirty-two years since he removed to Devon, and cast in his lot with our people at Beeralston.