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2. The instrument and nutriment of this life is the Gospel. The Gospel is the word of the living God; the word of life; the word that lives and abides for ever ; and this word is preached to you by the Gospel. The Gospel publishes life by Jesus Christ, who is the true life of our souls." "He has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel." His sacrificial death on the cross is the foundation and power of the believer's life. He said, “I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more abundantly." The Gospel preaches to us the good news of life, and is the means, by the Spirit, of producing and sustaining this life in the soul. “That whosoever believes in me should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And as all life is progressive, this superior life must be so, and shows its excellence by its growth. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

3. The affections and graces of this life are its evidences. It is a life that is spiritual and heavenly; a life that develops itself by its faith, love, joy, patience, and hope. It is a life of faith, looking unto Jesus, serving and pleasing God. It is a life of love ; of pure, fervent, and devoted love. It is a life of sweet and grateful joy. It is a life of peaceful and persevering patience. It is a life of hope—hope by the abundant mercy of God, by the mediation of Jesus Christ—the lively hope of glory.

4. Heaven is the issue and the element of this life. It is a life that does not attain its maturity on earth; it is perfect only in heaven. It is styled “eternal life;" life that knows no death and no decay; life that finds its true element in eternity ; that lives for ever. The commencement of this life is not simply at death, but at the period of our spiritual quickening. It is now in its incipient state, still in a state of advancement; but in heaven only will it reach perfection. It is this life that is bid with Christ in God; that shall triumph over death; that shall appear with Christ in glory ; that shall find its congenial element in heaven, in the presence of God, in the society of saints and angels, and in the services and pleasures of that eternal Sabbatism. It is holy life, delighting in everything that is pure, lovely, peaceful, and blessed. The full fruition of this life will be subsequent to the resurrection. The reunion of the soul and body is essential to our complete happiness. This happiness will be found in heaven. Heaven is the type of perfect existence. Heaven is the home of the saints, the rest of pilgrims, the Sabbatism of the true worshippers.

Blunham, Beds.

THE STAR OF LOVE.

My Saviour, can I follow thee,

When all is dark before ;
While midnight rests upon the sea,

How can I reach the shore?
Oh, let thy Star of love but shine,

Though with a feeble ray;
'Twill gild the edge of every wave,.

And light my gloomy way.
Then gladly will I follow thee,

Though hurricanes appear;
Singing sweet carols o'er the sea,

A cheerful mariner.

affili.

Al includ pride th

Tales and Sketches.

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TO-MORROW.

wind ? Edith paused; her lips grew white,

her hand trembled, and she faltered ; but a “PLEASE, kind lady, listen: I am cold | strong blast swept by, and the low cry was and starving, and have nowhere to go." heard no more. Was it the wind ?

"I can't now, poor child, I am engaged. The dance went merrily on, more merrily Come to-morrow."

than before ; the logs blazed and cracked " I wouldn't trouble you, ma'am, indeed on the hearth; gay voices drowned the I wouldn't, but I am so very, very cold.” swelling music; the midnight chimes had

"I can't give you anything now. Go long since rung upon the night, and in joy home to your mother, and come again to and mirthful revelling the hours flew fast. morrow."

Morning dawned, darkly but surely, and “ Lady, I have no home and no mother." the party was at an end. Weariness fell on'

Edith turned away. “Poor little thing," the dazzled eyes, and all sank to rest-hot she thought; “but what can I do to help and fevered rest. Dreams came, but not her? I can't positively leave the Fitz all dreams of love and happiness; tears of harolds ; mamma would be vexed. Ano heartfelt misery damped the pillow of many ther time will do. But then, what will the a seeming gay one, and in Edith Alyn's ear poor creature do this cold day? Well, I'm rang a pitiful voice, " No mother, and no very sorry, but I cannot help it.” So she home!" "To-morrow, to-morrow," she turned and said harshly, “Go away." gasps, “come to-morrow!”

The child gave one imploring look, and Morning dawned. Restless, though then, with a piteous wail, smothered her weary, Edith rose comparatively early, and face in the scanty shawl which was her only hastily dressing, gazed upon the grey wood. covering, and crawled away; yet not before land; why she did not know. Her dream the words were heard from her, not in a haunted her memory. Perhaps she might tone of upbraiding, but of earnestness, “Oh, see the child and bring her in. So wrapLord Jesus, make her love thee!”

ping herself warmly, she ran down stairs, “It is sad to see such destitution, and crossing the hall, looked out upon the Edith,"remarked her handsome companion. terrace.

“Yes ; I wish I could help that child; There, across the doorstep, lay the but I will to-morrow. She is sure to be stiffened corpse of poor little Ruth, the here, then ; and you know if I were to do orphan. In vain arose the piercing cry of it now, the Fitzharolds would think it a the conscience-stricken girl, as she fell "show-off.'”

senseless on the snow; in vain 'that So Edith Alyn forgot the mournful words anguished prayer to her offended God: of the little orphan, and then she pillowed death could not give back his prey. The her head that afternoon on the soft couch homeless one had found a home, and would of her little boudoir, to while away the never again ask her for the shelter she had hours ere the evening's festivities coni 80 unfeelingly refused. The hungere menced. It was a happy dream of sunshine weakened voice would never more plead that brought the tears to her violet eyes, again in ears so cold and cruel, Ruth had and not sorrow for the cold and hungry, on not received “her good things in this life.” that bitter Christmas Day.

Cruelty, want, and bitter suffering had been Never did the fair face of Edith look her portion. Often, often, with a woelovelier than that night; and never was her stricken face, had she wandered through step more buoyant than when she fitted fields and lanes, seeking for berries to stop to and fro in the graceful measures of the t e cravings of hunger. Still oftener had dance. Scarce one of the gay number heard her heart died within her, as, crouching at the roaring of the fierce storm without; the side of a road, she saw groups of merry, and when, now and then, the mournful gust | well-dressed children, and heard given and swept across the hall, they listened to its received words of affectionate care and fond melancholy cadence, and talked sentimen- | caress. But Ruth had “no mother and no tally of " Nature's Anthem." Was that the home.” Curses and blows were her lot in

the hovel where she herded with the unruly ! Then began the Christmas work in ear. wicked children of a woman who professed nest, and from right motives. It was love to guard her for her services. But a gleam for the Saviour, then, which made her zeaof heavenly sunshine crossed the path of lous for the poor and starving, for the this little stray waif. In the town by the suffering and sorrowful; and when selfish suburbs of which were her haunts, came to

thought struggled to make her forget her reside one who, having been with the Saviour mission, and be again the pet and pride of and learnt of him, brought all the tender a worldly circle, they were shamed and subsympathies of her nature to bear on the dued by the vision of the dying Ruth's reoutcast and sorrowful. Soon was Ruth proachful look, and the echo of the piteous invited, urged, and finally brought into the | wail, “No mother, and no home!" And Sabbath school. Week after week saw her, | when ease and self-indulgence whispered with intent, earnest face, listening to the “ To-morrow," the temptation was vangentle voice of her teacher, as she, with quished by the remembrance of the “Tomoistened eye and glowing cheek, told, in morrow" of that wintry day, when she simple words, befitting her auditors, of the turned from the desolate one who claimed love of Jesus, of his pity for the sad and her care. burdened, of his compassionate tenderness to the little lambs, of his purpose to carry them all in his bosom and convey them to

MY MOTHER'S VOICE. a bright and happy home above.

A FRIEND told me, not long ago, a So, this “oft-told tale " of the love of | beautiful story about kind words. A good Christ won a touching echo in many a lady living in one of our large cities, was young heart. Among them Ruth's melted passing a drinking-saloon just as the keeper with glad delight, and her worn spirit was thrusting a young man out into the rested from sin and sorrow in the arms of street. He was very young and very pale ; the tender Shepherd.

but his haggard face and wild eyes told Ere the “sere and yellow leaf” of that he was very far gone in the road to autumn had passed away, the head of her ruin, as, with oaths, he brandished his gentle benefactress was laid low beneath the clenched fists, threatening to be revenged sod. Miss Duncan had taken Ruth to her upon the man who had so ill-used him. own home, as she had been abandoned by This poor young man was so excited and the woman referred to because the child blinded with passion, that he did not see had turned “ Methody mad.” When again the lady, who stood very near to him, until cast adrift she had no resource but to beg she laid her hand upon his arm, and spoke from street to street, sleeping on a door in her gentle, loving voice, asking what step or inside a cart. As winter deepened, was the matter. and Christmas approached, her young frame At the first kind word, the young man gave way, and she was well-nigh exhausted started as though a heavy blow had struck on the day of her appeal to Edith. Alas! | him, and turned quickly round, paler than what was the guilt of her who had despised before, and trembling from head to foot. this little one below.

He surveyed the lady for a moment, and Time passed, but Edith had not recovered then, with a sigh of relief, he said, from the shock she received from this tragic “I thought it was my mother's voice, it occurrence. Change of scene was advised, sounded so strangely like it! But her but she clung firmly to the resolve that | voice has been hushed in death for many henceforth her care should be to seek out

years." the poor and fatherless, and, if possible, “You had a mother then," said the ease her burdened conscience of its heavy lady, “and she loved you ?”. guilt. But this mode of seeking peace With the sudden revulsion of feeling failed; and night after night Edith listened which often comes to people of fine nervous to the ever-remembered cry of the dying temperaments, the young man burst into child. The burden still remained, and it tears, sobbing out, “Oh, yes, I had an was not until the prayer of the heaven. angel mother, and she loved her boy ! But taught orphan was answered, “Oh, Lord | since she died, all the world has been Jesus, make her love thee," that Edith could | against me, and I am lost-lost to good lay her sins at the foot of the Cross, and | society, lost to honour, lost to decency, and leave them there, rejoicing in the forgive. lost for ever.” ness of a reconciled God.

“No, not lost for ever; for God is

merciful, and his pitying love can reach to bave me; and, by the mercy and grace the chief of sinners," said the lady, in her of God, I have been enabled to resist low, sweet voice; and the timely words temptation and keep my good resoluswept the hidden chords of feeling, which tions." had been long untouched, in the young “I never dreamed there was such power man's heart, thrilling it with magic power, in a few kind words before," exclaimed and wakening a host of tender emotions, the lady; "and surely ever after this I which had been buried very deep beneath shall take more pains to speak them to all the rubbish of sin and crime.

the sad and suffering ones I meet in the More gentle words the lady spoke, and walks of life.” when she passed on her way the young man followed her. He marked the bouse which she entered, and wrote the name

THE WATER-MELON. which was on the door-plate in his A GERMAN STORY TOR LITTLE FOLKS. little memorandum-book. Then he walked It was a very warm day in the middle slowly away, with a deep, earnest look on of August. The steamboat Magnolia was his white face, and deeper, more earnest going fast down the Elbe; and if you had feelings in his aching heart.

been there, you would have looked with no Years glided by, and the gentle lady had less pleasure than I did on the old castles quite forgotten the incident we have re and quiet towns that fringe both banks of lated, when one day a stranger sent up his that beautiful river. The passengers were card, and desired to speak with her. sitting in large easy chairs beneath the wide Wondering much who it could be, she awning that shaded the deck of the boat. went down to the parlour, where she found Some of them went forward so as to get a. a noble-looking, well-dressed man, who little air, and some even hung their arms rose deferentially to meet her. Holding down at the bow, so as to get some of the out his hand, he said,

cool spray over their hands. “Pardon me, madam, for this intrusion; Two children, a boy and a girl, were on but I have come many miles to thank you the steamboat, travelling with their mother. for the great service you rendered me a Charles and Louise were very warm, as few years ago," said he, in a trembling was every one else. They could not keep voice.

in one place. In one minute they would The lady was puzzled, and asked for an be sitting together with their mother, and explanation, as she did not remember ever the next they would be off, looking at the having seen the gentleman before.

engine, or asking one of the cooks when “I have changed so much," said the dinner would be ready, or examining the man, “ that you have quite forgotten me; names on the trunks of passengers. They but though I only saw your face once, I had already eaten a number of oranges, and am sure I should have recognised it any it was still two hours before dinner would where. And your voice, too-it is so like be ready. What could they do? : my mother's !”

They strolled off to the forward part of Those last words made the lady remem the steamboat, where the third-class pasber the poor young man she had kindly sengers were. These persons had no spoken to in front of the drinking-saloon so awning over them, but they seemed to long before, and she mingled her tears with enjoy their sail a great deal more than the those which were falling slowly over the wealthier people who were lounging in man's cheeks.

their chairs under a pleasant shade. The After the first gush of emotion had | two children happened to come close up to subsided, the gentleman sat down, and told a gardener's boy. He was about fifteen the lady how those few gentle words had years of age, and had been working as the been instrumental in saving him, and assistant of a gardener on a nobleman's making him what he was.

estate. He had a sunburnt face, beautiful "The earnest expression of, 'No, not brown eyes, and long, silken hair. There lost for ever,' followed me wherever I was a large water-melon lying at his feet ; went," said he, “and it always seemed that, but he was looking steadily at the right it was the voice of my mother speaking to bank of the river as if he was expecting the me from the tomb. I repented of my | boat to stop at some place. many transgressions, and resolved to live | When Charles and Louise saw the splenas Jesus and my mother would be pleased did water-melon they stopped suddenly, and stood beside the young man. Their | the bell rang for the boat to start; but mouths watered for it, the weather was so Martha was not so quick as she had invery warm.

tended, and the boat was actually off, and “What will you take for your melon ? " the plank pulled in, before she got to the asked 'Charles of Fritz-for that was the gangway. Poor girl, she wept as if her name of the boy. He turned round, and, heart would break, and Fritz wept, too. touching his hat, replied

But he encouraged her afterwards, and “ It is not for sale, sir. As soon as the told her that the Lord had promised to steamboat stops, it will be taken away." provide for the fatherless, and certainly he And then Fritz looked away along the river I would take care of them. “Dresden is a to see if the boat was not almost at the large city," he said, “and may be you can town of Schandau.

get a good home there. Don't you remem“How sorry I am for that," replied ber what was written in large letters over Charles : “I would give you double the our little cottage clock, Time leads to value of it. We are so very thirsty." eternity'? The hardships of this life will

“ And mother is so very fond of water soon be over, and then a much better life melons," added Louise.

will begin if we are only faithful to the But Fritz told them that he could not promises we made our dying father and sell the melon, and so he paid but little mother. Don't you remember, too, what attention to them. Soon he saw the high was written on our large bread-plate, 'Give church steeples of Schandau, and in a us this day our daily bread'? Now let that little while the steamboat was coming up be our prayer, and the Lord will provide closely to the wharf. Then the bell rang, for us." And then they sang that beautiand the people came crowding down to get ful little song, commencing, aboard. Among the rest was a pretty - God is rich, though we be poor, peasant girl. She had a basket of pears in

Kings have wealth, but God has more : one hand, and a wreath of flowers and In his hand is food for all

Every day will manna fall.” evergreens hanging on her arm. That was Martha, the sister of Fritz. She had come As the time passed on, Fritz said to down to the boat to bring Fritz some pears Martha that they might as well cut the and a wreath ; for he was going to Dresden water-melon. They could eat a slice or to be a gardener for some one, and it would two then, and save the rest till they got to be a long while before they would meet again. Dresden.

“Martha! Martha ! here I am. Come “No, indeed,” answered his sister, “I here ; I have got a seat for you here. The think we can eat the pears and sell the boat will stop a quarter of an hour, and we water-melon. You have given it to me, can have a good talk before we separate." and you want me to enjoy it; but I would So Fritz spoke, and he was as glad to see rather sell it, and then the money will be of his sister as if they had not seen each other far more use to us." for years.

An officer, who was standing some disSoon they were talking about everything tance behind them, heard the conversation. they could think of. «See 'here," said He then came round in front of them, and Fritz; “this water-melon was given me by said . my employer, and I have saved it for you. “Is your melon cheap, my little man? It is the largest one I ever saw.”

I would like to buy it, if you will sell it at “Thank you, brother. And here is a a reasonable rate." wreath and a basket of pears for you; so “Yes, sir--no, sir," answered Fritz. we will make an exchange. Oh! I wish I There was a young gentleman here a was living in a good family. I get almost while ago, who wanted it very much. If I nothing where I am living, not even enough sell it at all, I suppose I ought to let him to buy my clothes."

have it. I wish my sister to have it; for “ Don't grieve, dear sister ; I shall get there is nobody on the steamboat who likes good wages, and will send you a part of water-melons more than she does." my earnings every two weeks. You shall “I am glad to see your kindness to your never want for anything while I live. I sister, my lad; but if you could get a will take your pears, and think of you large price for your melon, I think you every time I eat one. This beautiful would be doing more for her than if she wreath I will keep as long as I live.” were to eat it. Now, I will make you a

While Fritz and Martha were talking, I proposition. I will take your melon to the

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