God requires the hearts of his worshippers-Solomon's temple -Solomon's prayer-The plain church-The church with the high spire-The church with the large tower-The bells-The beautiful church-The church with the ivy round the pulpit-The solemn question.

"You have not yet given me a church picture," said Edwin, speaking coaxingly to his father. "Do you think you could draw me a good one?"

"I will try, Edwin; but what one person calls a good picture, another often calls a bad one."

66 Yes, that is very true; but I will do my best to judge right. If I think it is a good picture, I will say so."

"That I do not doubt. I must give you as much variety in my church sketches as possible."

"But how will you manage that? for a church is a church, and one is so much like another."

"Oh, never fear-there is quite variety enough; for though churches have a general resemblance, there is a great deal of difference in them. One has a high spire, and another a low one; one has a large tower, and another a small one. Then there is the inside to be sketched as well as the outside; and sometimes a church is full, and at other times it is empty."

"I see that you will give me variety enough, after all."

"It will be well to remember, while speaking of churches, that God requires the hearts of his worshippers. Neither a spire, nor a tower, nor a painted window, nor a table of the ten commandments, nor a black gown, nor a white surplice, nor a constant attendance at church every time the doors are open, will be of any value to him who rests in them.

'Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,' John iii. 3. 'By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,' Eph. ii. 8. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him,' John iii. 36. When we live to His glory who died for sinners, we live to our own peace. While we think of these truths, and trust in nothing outward, we cannot value too much the opportunity of meeting together on the sabbath in the house of God."

"No; I do not think we can.'

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"It would be a great proof of the goodness of God, if he were only to meet his followers when they assembled together in thousands: how great, then, is the condescension of Christ to say, 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,' Matt. xviii. 20. The words of Solomon at the dedication of the temple are very striking: 'But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! Have respect, therefore, to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: that thine eyes

may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.-Hear thou from thy dwelling-place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive,' 2 Chron. vi. 18-21."

"Yes, that is a very striking prayer."

"Solomon's temple was glorious to look upon; but Christian temples are built in a plainer manner. I know a church which is almost as plain as a barn. The whitewashed walls are without ornament, and the pulpit, pews, chancel, and singing-loft are all of the same simple character; yet in that church more glorious truths are freely set forth than were ever declared in the temple of Solomon. The minister is a holy, zealous servant of Jesus Christ our Saviour."

"That must be a very plain church indeed." "I know a church which has a spire between three and four hundred feet high; and another I often attended in the days of my youth which has a very large tower. I was once up in the belfry of this latter church when all the bells were ringing; and I thought to myself, while the clanging sound of the iron clappers rendered me almost deaf, how different was the thundering din, which to me had very little meaning in it, to the still small

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voice of conscience, that exercises so much influence over the heart. The gospel in the church, proclaiming salvation through the blood of the Lamb, is at any time better than the sound of the bells in the belfry."

"Oh yes, that it is."

"I said that Christian temples were built in a plainer way than Solomon's temple; but, for all that, many churches are very highly adorned. Some time ago I went to see one, the outside of which was very beautiful. There were broad buttresses, and fine old Gothic windows, and effigies in all the niches, and ornaments chiselled with the greatest care from top to bottom. The inside was still more costly than the out; for, what with the clustered pillars, the splendid ceiling, the sculptured screen, the rich choir, the magnificent window of stained glass, the dark oak stalls with carved canopies, the marble monuments and the elegant organ, it struck me with surprise."

"There are not many such churches as that."

"What a mercy it is that the High and Lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, dwells with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit,' whether the temple in which he worships be of whitewashed brick or sculptured marble! I remember entering a church, many, many years ago, which had neither