JUNE. JUNE 1. OUR WIDOWED QUEEN EYES sorely weeping, hearts strained nigh to breaking, Over the land are seen; Of thy deep grief thy people are partaking,- O that our souls could ease thee in thy sorrow,- The grief, that will be keener on the morrow It is for thee our hearts sad notes are ringing! He who hath gone to rest Is with the morning stars,-God's praises singing Where all are blest! From those who are the nearest to thy station, Who are the very lowest in the nation, A people standeth with their eyes turned sadly, When thy tears flow; Saying, with pitying accents, "We would gladly Bear all thy woe." Let not thy faith in the All-wise be shaken, Thou, Lord, hast given, and again hast taken— We can scarce picture thee, a widow,-weeping Upon the bed Where lately thy beloved one was sleeping,— And now lies dead! It is for thee! for thee! that we are sighing. That broke the staff on which thou wast relying- (Latchmore.) June 2. A THOUGHT UPON THE BIBLE. There is such fulness in that book, that oftentimes it says much by saying nothing; and not only its expressions, but its silences are teaching; like the dial, on which the shadow as well as the light gives us information. June 3. THE CONDESCENSION OF CHRIST. (Boyle.) How great was the humility of the incarnate Son of God in all His gracious and condescending dealings with the Baptist, His forerunner. He came to him as a sinner, and among a throng of sinners, when He submitted to his baptism. He suffered him first to preach the Gospel; and when He Himself preached it, He used none other than the Baptist's tone and words; nor would He open His blessed mouth at all in preaching, till the Baptist was silenced by being put in prison. And then how beautiful is the reflection of grace, how instructive is the counterpart, when we mark the humility of the Baptist in all his relations and intercourse with the Lord! (Ford.) June 4. "AS TOUCHING THE DEAD, THAT THEY RISE, HAVE YE NOT READ IN THE BOOK OF MOSES, HOW IN THE BUSH GOD SPAKE UNTO HIM, SAYING, I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB? HE IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT THE GOD OF THE LIVING." These words of our Saviour show us how much more there is in Scripture than at first sight appears. God spoke to Moses in the burning bush, and called Himself the God of Abraham; and Christ tells us, that in this simple announcement was contained the promise that Abraham should rise again from the dead. In truth, if we may say it with reverence, the Allwise, All-knowing God cannot speak without meaning many things at once. He "sees the end from the beginning." He understands the numberless connections and relations of all things one with another. Every word of His is full of instruction, looking many ways; and though it is not often given to us to know these various senses, and we are not at liberty to attempt lightly to imagine them, yet, as far as |