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PASSMORE & ALABASTER, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, E.C. THE BIBLE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE. THOMAS ANDREWS, The EWS of the death of this esteemed Brother will be received everywhere with surprise and regret. He was struck down by man's relentless foe without previous warning. event is very painful in its suddenness to all his friends; alarming it would have been to him, if he had not been prepared. He fell in a fit on Thursday, November 5th, and he died the next afternoon without regaining consciousness. But his life was in the hands of our Sovereign Lord, and it has closed when, and where, and how, He determined, and His wisdom, and His love too, are infinite. But to Mrs. Andrews and their children how terrible, how desolating the stroke! What a scorching trial of their faith! They have a strong claim on the sympathy and prayers of God's people generally, more especially on the friends in the Circuits where our Brother laboured so diligently and well. His fervour in prayer was remarkable. As a prince he had power with God, and prevailed. He was an earnest and laborious preacher of the Gospel, and in the earlier years of his ministry especially, God gave him many souls. His indefatigable labours in the Penzance Circuit, in conjuction with beloved colleagues, more than a generation ago, were abundantly blessed of God. A wave of revival influence of almost resistless power spread in various directions, the effects of which were marked and lasting. To all workers in the Lord's vineyard, the sudden death of Br. Andrews should be a warning, and an inspiration. Who knows how soon his life on earth, and his opportunities of usefulness, may end, and who does not wish to be found both working and watching when the Master calls? Honest toil is acceptable to the Lord of the vineyard, and it is a pleasure to the worker when it is brightened and purified by the hope of His coming. NN THE HEAVENS. 'HE book of nature has three leaves-heaven, earth, and sea, of which heaven is the first and most glorious, and by its aid we are able to see the glories of the other two. Any book without its first page would be sadly imperfect, and especially the great natural Bible, since its first page-the sun, moon, and stars-supply light to the rest of the volume, and are thus the keys, without which the writing which follows would be dark and undiscerned. Man walking erect was evidently made to see the skies, and he who begins to read Creation by studying the stars begins the book at the right place." So runs the excellent comment of Pastor Spurgeon on Psalm xix., and is a fitting introduction to what follows. Some will say, Surely this earth, with its variety of surface, of animals, plants, countries, and races of men, is large enough for us to contemplate; and truly a much less area might suffice. Not many persons have the opportunities or the means to travel far, but all who have the gift of sight can look above and behold the wonders, and have their thoughts elevated, by the glories of the firmament. Not many miles of this earth can be seen at one view, even under the most advantageous circumstances, but we can look into space and see, if we will, suns sparkling with intense brightness, with all the beauty of many coloured jewels, at inconceivable distances away from us. This is an advantage of which the poorest may avail themselves. Ignorance of the heavens is, we have reason to believe, too general to cause any surprise; but the study of astronomy is so interesting that it should be pursued even as a recreation. Let not any suppose that the difficulties are insuperable. We may at once acknowledge, in order to be able to make calculation of distances, to test the accuracy of experts, requires more time than most have, and more ability than is generally possessed. But there is information to be gained by those who will take the trouble to look upward, and master the contents of a book on the elements of astronomy. A great deal may be learnt, which would be useful to ourselves and others, without being masters of the entire subject. The greatest astronomers had to learn the rudiments, and if others never get beyond them, surely that is not to be despised. There would be but little singing in our congregations on the Lord's Day, if none played or sung who were not equal to Mozart or Handel; we should be sadly deficient in preachers, if no one officiated who did not possess great natural eloquence, or whose gifts were cultivated in an eminent degree: it is enough, perhaps, if there be |