storm on Lord's day afternoon of the 24th of March last, off Dunnose, about two miles from the Isle of Wight, and in sight of Spithead were desirous of seeing their mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers; but alas, they were disappointed, for I must tell you nearly three hundred young men were lost, and that in the sight of port! Question to scholars. Are there any here desirous of seeing Jesus? If so, you will not be disappointed; no, the Lord not only knew that there was a man in the sycamore tree, but He knew his name was "Zacchæus," and the Lord called him down, and mark what he received, not as hitherto, £ s. d.; but a salvation coupled with three P's-shewn thus, a Present, Personal, and Perfect salvation. Picture the scene of the rich man running, climbing, and coming down the tree. Illustrate, by reference to the grand cedars of Lebanon having to be cut down, and having to come down, down, yes, down to Joppa, and thence to Jerusalem (vide map), then cut into beams and boards, &c. (1 Kings vi.); also apply, "Nothing either great or small," dwelling upon the first and middle clause of verse 9. (Luke xix.) Here the following anecdote may be found interesting, putting it thus: "The Three Pardons.” On the 29th of May, 1779, a bright and beautiful summer morning, three soldiers were to die! They were told to kneel down beside their open coffins, while their sentence was read to them. Their crime was mutiny, the court found them all guilty, and adjudged them to be shot! Apply Romans iii. 19-26. Return to anecdote-Their eyes were bound up, and the officer retired: the provost-marshal approached and ordered his party to load. They were in the act of taking aim at the three prisoners when Sir Adolphus Oughton stepped forward, and displayed three pardons. Apply Micah vii. 18, "Who is a God like unto our God that pardoneth, and delighteth in mercy?" Yes, a God ready to pardon, or as the margin puts it a God of PARDONS. (Neh. ix. 17; also Isa. lv. 7; and Jer. xxxiii. 8.) Truly "Ours is a pardon bought with blood." Here shew that the Lord Jesus laid a prisoner with the dead, as was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, and recorded by the evangelists (Matt. xxvii. 60; Mark xv. 46; Luke xxiii. 52; John xix. 40), and that He is now at God's right hand, "The Lord Almighty now to save, From sin, from death, from endless shame." Return to the anecdote.-Sir Adolphus commanded the firing party to "recover arms." Soldiers, said he, "In consquence of the distinguished valour of the Royal Highlanders (mark, not what they the prisoners had done), to which two of these unfortunate men belonged, his majesty has been graciously pleased to forgive them all" (the three prisoners. I am very fond of these two little monosyllables all and so. The former we find in Romans iii. 22; the latter, John iii. 16, &c.) "Prisoners, rise! and rejoin your companies." The prisoners were incapable of speech. The soldier of the 71st Regiment was so overcome that he sank prostrate on the ground between the coffins. Here revert to Romans iii. 24, "Being justified freely by his grace," &c. And again Romans v. 9, "Much more then being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." for What a blessed fact to be able to point out to our scholars, Christ was raised from the grave the justification of all who put their trust in Him; and mark, such are not only pardoned, but justified! SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. DEAR MR. EDITOR, T. J. I cannot refrain from sending you a few lines to assure you of my candid sympathy with the writer of a paper in last month's number of "The Sundayschool Worker," entitled, "Corporate Labour.” With the substance of that paper I do, most thoroughly, agree; as also with the very sensible remarks in the postscript. I do trust that many of your readers many dear Sunday-school workers, may find real comfort, help, and encouragement, from the perusal of the whole article. I have long deplored the lack of hearty, genial, affectionate co-operation in a branch of christian work, which has held a deep and large place in my heart for nearly forty years. Surely it is not necessary that we should see eye to eye in all the practical details of Sunday-school work. It is quite sufficient, for any really sound-minded, largehearted workman, any true servant of Christ, any genuine lover of souls and lover of children, to know that all have before their minds the one grand object, namely, the glory of Christ in the salvation of precious souls. It seems to me, my dear Mr. Editor, perfectly puerile to occupy time discussing such questions as "The Simultaneous Lesson," "The Weekly Address," or "Should we have a Superintendent?” As to all such matters, I always feel disposed to 66-2 adopt the language of Nelson to his captains who were discussing the question of how they should attack the combined fleets of France and Spain. "Any way you can get at them," said he; so I say to all my beloved fellow-labourers, in this deeply interesting department of work: any way you can reach the precious souls with the precious gospel of Christ. It is, in my judgment, the height of folly to be splitting hairs and starting crotchets about things in which there is no principle involved. If there be anything contrary to scripture, let us all utterly reject it; but if there be not, let each act according as he feels at liberty before the Lord; and let all act in cordial harmony; let the work be done, and let the Master be glorified. I am thoroughly persuaded that the Sunday school is a most blessed branch of christian service; and hence, I cannot but regret that some who are of reputation amongst us should be found speaking in disparaging terms respecting it. We certainly do not want them to become Sunday-school teachers, but we would say to them, "Refrain from these men and let them alone." Let each one know his job and stick to it. There is ample room for all in the wide field of the Spirit's operations. The church of God affords a platform sufficiently broad to admit of every variety of christian work, and every class of christian workman. It is a miserable mistake to reduce all to a dead level; it can only have the effect of cramping the workman and narring the work. What, for example, could be more egregiously absurd than the attempt to apply to a Sunday school principles which can only be acted upon in the assembly of God? But I fear I am taking up too much of your valuable time; so I must close. I trust you will excuse my intruding upon you at all; but my apology must be found in the fact that I have a profound and ever deepening interest in the blesssd work of Sunday schools, and in all who are really devoted thereto. May God bless them and their work! So prays Scarborough. Yours very affectionately, After reading E. B.'s communication and the editor's remarks thereon, in the April "Worker," I feel I must say a few words. Any observant Christian cannot but be painfully impressed by the number of dear children that run wild in the streets. Oh, let us not be occupied with such phantasms as "present system" and the like; I must say for my own part, I covet more than ever to get at these young impetuous hearts. Can Christians justify themselves in letting these dear children pass on to that place of torment, from which they themselves, by God's grace, have been delivered? In a tower in the Isle of Man was formerly hanged one of the best governors the island ever possessed. He had been accused of treachery to the king during the time of the civil wars, and received sentence of death. Intercession was made on his behalf, and a pardon was sent, but the pardon fell into the hands of his bitter enemy, who kept it locked up, and the governor was hanged! Now, do we not feel horror-struck at the fearful turpitude of that man, who, having the pardon for his fellow-creature in his possession, could keep it back and let him die the death of a traitor. But before we give the answer, let us |