can visit the factory, where the artizan at his loom, the potter at his wheel, the stoker at his engine, having gathered oil and dust and clay and blackness, puts out his honest, but unwashed hand to give the visitor a friendly, and Christian greeting. He is no dirty fellow then. These are "outward and visible signs" of his honest industry. This envelope of extraneous matter is his coat of honour, while he is rendering himself worthy to "stand before kings." The courtier has not more reason to look with glowing satisfaction and self-complacency upon his blue riband, his brilliant star, and his heraldic garter, than the artizan, while at his employment, whereby he gains "the bread that perisheth," has to look upon his hands, his face, his apparel, covered and soiled with accumulated dirt. The good housewife, too, with hands anything but fair and fairy, caught in what she calls her dishabille, while polishing the fire grate with lamp-black, cleaning the iron or brass candlestick, giving her comfortable and happy home a good sweeping and turning out, from top to bottom, has no reason to be ashamed, as she looks at her soiled hands, or catches, as she is dusting the looking-glass, a view of her face, over which there lies a deposit of sweat and dust, no addition to the beauty of a Venus, but an unequivocal evidence, that the good man, who is from home, has a good helpmate remaining at home, and preparing to make that home his little paradise upon earth-his Eden with his Eve. The occupations of the working man and of the working woman make it their inevitable lot, that in order to live, and in order to be cleanly, they shall often present a personal appearance, and a bodily presence, not the "perfection of beauty" to the eye of the soft, and the fastidious.

Persons of every grade in society, should cultivate habits of personal cleanliness. Many a man and many a woman, especially, would much enhance their position, if they and their families were more cleanly, tidy, and decent in their habits. It does not recommend the pastry brought to the table, where the good housewife who may be presumed to have prepared it, presents her hands at table, having her finger nails filled with matter black, but not precious, as ebony. The appetite is not regaled by seeing on the same table or

recess, where the loaf stands, or where the bread and butter is being cut for breakfast, a hair brush and comb, used perhaps, by six or seven individuals, and in no enviable state of cleanliness, because they have been used for a week without undergoing necessary operations for every hair brush and comb. No additional relish is given to the bread and butter, however nicely cut and spread, if one or two dirty urchins, unwashed, unkempt, to whom the luxury of a pocket-handkerchief seems unknown, and who are just able to reach up to the table, are permitted to dip their dirty hands into the sugar basin, or sprawl their filthy fingers among the slices of bread, or other food, upon the table. To see a man lick his knife, or put the spoon with which he is emptying his egg into his mouth, and then dip the said knife or the said spoon into the salt-cellar, does not make the salt more tasty and relishing to a guest, unused to these outlandish accompaniments of a feast

of fat things." Neither is it a desirable condiment, or a quickener of the appetite, where the housewife's apron, which among other and mixed uses, is an occasional substitute for a pockethandkerchief, is also employed to wipe a spoon, a knife, or a fork which ought to have come to the table in a state "fit for the master's use," or the guest's. These and a thousand other little things are best "o'er the hills and far awa' from the habits and usages of all persons of every grade in life. A little arrangement; a little expense; a little foresight, will thus add vastly to the comforts of life. The cost will be little. The produce will be immense.

Purity of heart seems to have essential relations to purity of body. He who loathes sin, possesses a moral refinement and a moral sensibility, that seem necessarily to loathe dirt also. It seeks, one is apt to reason, to be "cleansed, literally, of all filthiness both of the flesh and of the spirit." Sure we are, that while a slovenly and uncleanly person, a dirty and disorderly house are no credit to a professor of religion, piety shines none the less clearly, and yields none the less of comfort in the poorest family, where the fare, though homely, is clean, the table, though plain deal, is pure as the driven snow, whose whiteness is rivalled by the cloth that covers the

deal; the apparel though far from costly is neither in rags nor enveloped in dirt, and when hands and face and finger nails of husband, wife, and children tell plain that soap and water are no rarities in that dwelling, and that the use of them is as frequent, and careful, as any man can desire, who goes so far in this matter as to believe, that CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLIXESS.

Jely 5, 1852.

HELP IN A REVIVAL.

Every revival of religion, of any considerable extent and power, requires a great deal of labour; and like other harvest work, it must be done in the time of it, if it is done at all. If the golden opportunity is not improved, no regrets, when "the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and souls are not saved," will bring it back.

1. Let the pastor take the responsibility of conducting the revival according to his best judgment, looking to Christ to direct him. It belongs to him. He "watches for the souls committed to his care, as one who must give account." He may seek for advice, where he needs it, from those in whose piety, judgment, and experience he has the greatest confidence. It is his duty

to do so.

2 The pastor should labour himself, "in season, out of season,' as his strength will permit. In some cases, by his office-bearers, and other gifted members of the church, he may be able to do nearly all the work; and so long as he can, why should he look for help? His people may think, and he may be conscious, that some of his brethren are abler preachers than he is; and if "the excellency of the power" was of man, and not of God, it might be a duty to send for them at once. But why should he yield up his pulpit, or why should his church wish him to, when they all admit that he is a godly man, and preaches the truth; and when, after toiling and praying for a long time in hope and fear, his own heart is warmer than that of any stranger is likely to be.

3. In some cases he must have help. The harvest may be too great for any one labourer to gather. Some of it that might be garnered, may perish, if

it is all left to his sickle; and the question will be, how he shall obtain the needed assistance. He may do it in one of these three ways.

First, when his time is so much occupied that he cannot prepare for the Sabbath, he may relieve himself in some degree, and reverse his strength for other duties, by exchanges. In all ordinary cases, his exchanges, during the revival should be few. He is wanted at his post every day and every hour, watching all the phases of the work, as it advances or declines, to see what demands his immediate advice or attention. But when he does exchange, it is plainly his duty to bring into his pulpit brethren of unquestioned soundness in the faith, who believe in the reality and desirableness of such "times of refreshing," and who will deliver such discourses as are best adapted to the existing state of things in the church and congregation. To exchange with a pastor who has a revival among his own people, or who has lately enjoyed such a season, is most desirable of all; for he is the brother who will be most likely to have his own heart warm to take up the work where he finds it, and by the blessing of God, to help it forward. I can conceive of an exchange, with a good brother, under such circumstances, which would check the revival instead of advancing it. He might come from so cold a region, and bring so much of the chill along with him, and preach good sermons so unsuited to the existing state of things, as to make everybody wish he had stayed away.

The second way of getting help, is to invite neighbouring pastors to come in and preach on week days. Such assistance, when it is of the right kind, is often greatly blessed. But it is not every good preacher that should be called in. The ministers of Christ have different natural and spiritual gifts. In looking round for help, it is the duty of a pastor to invite such brethren as have had the most experience and success in revivals and who, without withholding one jot or tittle of the truth, will call out the greatest numbers to hear it dispensed.

Thirdly; the best help of all, where it can be had, is that of a judicious, sound, acceptable and experienced brother, who having no charge of his

own, can come in and labour side by side with the pastor, and under his direction, as long as extra help is wanted. HUMPHREY.

HOW TO READ SCRIPTURE.

The learned Bishop Horsley observes: It should be a rule with every one who would read the Holy Scriptures with advantage and improvement, to compare every text, which may seem either important for the doctrine it may contain, or remarkable for the turn of the expression, with the parallel passages in other parts of holy writ; that is, with the passages in which the subject-matter is the same, the sense equivalent, or the turn of the expression similar. It is incredible to any one who has not in some degree made the experiment, what a proficiency may be made in that knowledge, which maketh wise unto salvation, by studying the Scriptures in this manner, without any other commentary or exposition, than what the different parts of the sacred volume mutually furnish for each other. I will not scruple to assert, that the most illiterate Christian, if he can but read his English Bible, and will take the pains to read it in this manner, will not only attain all that practical knowledge which is necessary to his salvation; but, by God's blessing, he will become learned in everything relating to his religion in such a degree, that he will not be liable to be misled, either by the refined arguments, or the false assertions of those who endeavour to engraft their own opinions upon the oracles of God. He may safely be ignorant of all philosophy, except what is to be learned from the sacred books; which, indeed, contain the highest philosophy, adapted to the lowest apprehensions. He may safely remain ignorant of all history, except so much of the first ages of the Jewish and of the Christian church, as is to be gathered from the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. Let him study those in the manner I recommend, and let him never cease to pray for the illumination of that Spirit by whom these books were dictated, and the whole compass of abstruse philosophy, and recondite history, shall furnish no argument with which the perverse will of man shall be able to

shake this learned Christian's faith. The Bible, thus studied, will indeed prove to be, what we Protestants esteem it-a certain and sufficient rule of faith and practice; a helmet of salvation, which alone may quench the fiery darts of the wicked.

QUALIFY! QUALIFY!

When the period of a parliamentary election draws nigh, men become exceedingly anxious to qualify themselves for voting. This anxiety is natural, and when the necessary qualification is sought to be obtained by proper means, it is praiseworthy, for it is the duty of all citizens to watch over the interests, and promote the welfare of their country. If it is important that men should possess a qualification to take part in the things of this life, of how much greater importance is it that they should be qualified to take part in matters that relate to the interests of eternal life. Sunday-school teachers, qualify! You who have under your care the rising generation, who are to hold office in the world and the church, -you on whose efforts in a great measure will depend the character of the future life of your young charge, ought to be qualified for your work. "Teachers should be wise." Intelligent you must, and may be; but if you are not "wise unto salvation," you are far from possessing the right qualification. Class leaders, to whom the tried ones look for advice, the afflicted for sympathy, -the tempted for encouragement,― you ought to qualify. Your knowledge of human nature should be extensive, and your religious experience should be great, so that the tried, the afflicted, and the tempted may find in you a brother, and one who has felt and suffered like themselves. Preachers of the everlasting Gospel, you should be qualified. By gifts,-that you may be able efficiently to declare your message, and with power to proclaim the truth. By grace, that you may believe in, and feel the power of that which you preach,-zealously to do your master's work, and earnestly beseech sinners to forsake their sins and be saved.

To old and young, rich and poor,-in all places, and in all circumstances, we would say, qualify. Qualify, not to possess a vote, but to be a candidate,

Andrews, B. Dr.-When the flood of secular ages shall have ebbed away, we may be rich in possessions, which the flourishing universe cannot produce, nor the falling universe afterwards entomb.

Burnap.-The man of the world affects the appearance of humanity, because he finds it necessary to success the real gentleman labours after it; the true enlightened Christian posresses it.

Colton, C. C.-Sleep, the type of death, is also, like that which it typifies, restricted to the earth: it flies from hell, and is excluded from heaven.

Dary, Sir Humphrey.-A firm religious belief makes life a discipline of goodness; creates new hopes, when all earthly hopes vanish; and throws over the decay, the destruction of existence, the most gorgeous of all lights; awakens life even in death, and from corruption and decay calls up beauty and divinity.

Ewing, James-Christ, as a prophet, proclaims the will of God; as a priest, he makes satisfaction for sin, and pleads the efficacy of his atoning sacrifice; as a king, he applies the redemption he has purchased.

Fairbairn, Patrick. When Jesus was lifted up on the cross, the battle was fought, and the victory won: then the guilt of sin was atoned, and Divine justice satisfied.

Goodwin, John.-Holiness is a gracious disposition, inclining the heart to actions eminently just, with a real abhorrency of whatsoever is sinful. Godliness is a disposition which inclines the soul to act for God, and to make the advancement of his glory the supreme end of its actions.

Hall, Bishop-Temptation stirs up holy meditation; meditation prepares to prayer; and prayer makes profit of temptation, and fetcheth all Divine knowledge from heaven.

Irving, Edward.-Seeing that death is a passage in our being that may become the most glorious, I solemnly invoke you to timeous measures, that

you may secure the glorious summer and reaping-time which follow this wintry seed-time of our existence.

Jebb, Dr.-There is one talent which we all equally possess the talent of time. Let us each ask our own hearts, How do we employ this talent?

Kettlewell.-Do not tell a lie, no, not to save a world, nor to save your king, nor yourself.

Landsborough, David.-Let us think on the happiness which God has laid up in store for those who love him, and then have topics fitted to make our hearts to glow, our words to burn, and our tongues to delight, to speak the praises of the Lord.

Marsden, Joshua.—

Like the sun going forth in his mighty

career,

To gladden the earth, and illumine each sphere,

The chariot of Truth shall in majesty roll

O'er climate, isle, ocean, to each distant pole.

Nixon, William.-No tempter, and no temptation, and no enemy whatsoever, disturbs for a moment the order, and harmony, and blessedness of the saints in heaven. No feeling of dread, of want, or privation, or sickness, or pain, or suffering of any kind, is, or can be, experienced by them.

Omond, J. R.-A love which many waters cannot quench, and which the floods cannot drown, dwells in the Saviour's bosom; and this love is, by guilty, perishing, hell-preparing sinners, forfeited.

Parker, M. F-In the humility with which God dwells in gracious neighbourhood and blessed presence, every sentiment of opposition to God, of enmity to his law, of indifference to his offered salvation, is uprooted.

Quesnel, Pasquier.-Let us take great care not to transfer to any creature that which Christ appropriates to himself, exclusively of everything besides.

Redford, George.-It is at the throne of grace, or the mount of communion, that we must rise above the contentions and disturbances of the world.

South, Robert.-It is a truer and nobler vindication of a man's honour to clear off and confute a slander by his own life, than by another man's death; to make his innocence and his virtue his compurgator; and not fight, but to live down the calumniators.

Taylor, Nathanael.-Conversion and faith begin in legal convictions. You may more rationally expect to find paradise on the top of a craggy rock, than saving faith in the stony heart of an unhumbled sinner.

Usher, Archbishop.-Sanctification is nothing less than for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of God, and to live in the offering of his soul continually, in the flames of love, and as a whole burnt-offering to Christ.

Vipond, William.-To be quiet requires thought, study, watchfulness, and Divine fortitude; but as to busybodies, they are very proper to be members of a gossipping club, and not of a Christian society.

Wallace, Alexander. Christianity comes before us as an angel of mercy, -herself descending from the realms of light and clearest vision, to stir the waters of healing, and lead the maimed, the halt, and the blind, to the perennial fountain of her own truth.

Yale, Dr.-With our eye fixed on the future joy, Christ allows us to deny ourselves, to labour, to make sacrifices, and bear his cross, just in proportion to our faith and love; all proceeding spontaneously from our ardent affection to him, his cause, and the souls of men.

POWER OF CHRIST. "HE laid the foundations of the earth," a figure which signifies its stability. That stability rests upon certain laws which he has ordained. Atom coheres to atom, both yield to a common centre. Some nucleus or pole there is, which binds together all. Hung upon nothing, it requires not. bar nor base. Massed into compactness by its attractive, sustained in its velocity by its repellent forces,-what precision is so nice, what certitude is so exact. Balanced in air, wheeling through space, unrelaxingly firm, buoyantly light; heaving on its own axis, yet floating through the azure a winged thing-What an adjustment, what a magazine, what a glory is our earth! Nor is this all. This planet is but a portal and a platform, whence we may look out and gaze our full on a theatre of unimaginable limits, of insufferable splendours. The heavens are the works of his hands. He garnished them with all their exquisite

as

6. F.

7. S.

8. S. 9. M.

I will write my laws in their hearts. Heb. viii. 10.

The pure in heart shall see God. Matt. v. 8.

Purify your hearts. James iv. 8.

Outward. Upon the bells of the horses, holiness unto the Lord. Zech. xiv. 20. 10. Tu. Possess his vessel in sanctification. Thess. iv. 4.

11. W. Sanctified meet for the master's use. 2Tim. ii. 21.

12. TH. Holy in all manner of conversation. 1Pet. 1. 15.