what bowed with travel and hardship, and limbs bearing the marks of scourging, and many a trace of violence and the dungeon chain. Yet, one could discern a zeal and holy fervour on his brow, which told it was no mere human impulse which constrained him. He usually wended his way to the humblest quarters of the towns through which he passed; or, if the scattered remnants of Israel were to be found therein, resorted with them to their synagogues. And there he spake with full and glowing words,and as he spake, all were fain to listen; they hung on his lips-they wondered at the new and strange doctrines which fell from himtheir hearts were moved and troubled-and mostly so, because he proclaimed a Name which they were taught to hold accursed. And when these synagogues broke up, which they oftentimes did in uproar, many followed that mysterious man, talked with him in his retirement, believed, and were baptized. That stranger was the Apostle Paul; the name and theme on which he ever spoke was Jesus Christ, and Him crucified; and they who believed, and were baptized, were those whom "the Lord added to the Church daily, that they might be saved.” (W. A. Newman.)

March 15.

VIRGINS AND LABOURERS,

CHRISTIANS AND HEATHENS.

The parable of the Virgins teaches us in a more especial manner, the primary necessity of our having the grace of God in our hearts, without which we can do nothing. That of the Labourers leads us to the practical improvement of the same grace, with which grace we must co-operate in our lives. Lastly, the account of the proceedings of the great judgment day shows us one particular method of this improvement and co-operation;-namely, by such works of mercifulness as are most pleasing to God, and the surest evidences of our faith and love, and our best preparations for His heavenly kingdom. It is to be well observed, that all the accounts which our blessed Lord has given us of the awful decisions of this last great assize, relate exclusively to the professing Christian; that is, they relate to ourselves. So little ground is there for that pride and uncharitableness in man, who has presumed to pass its final sentence of condemnation on those upon whom the light of the Gospel has never shined. (Ford.)

March 16.

A DEPARTED CHRISTIAN.

When every struggle of this life was past,
And every earthly tie dissolved at last,
Angelic spirit, what a joy was thine,-
What a new thrill of ecstasy divine!
Thy soul on seraph pinions upwards flew,
While heaven transcendent burst upon thy view;
And things of earth all vanished at the sight,
As chaos fled the first approach of light.

Oh! what is all eternity to this

The first blest moment of eternal bliss!
When heaven, expanding on the astonished sight,
Bursting its gates of ever-burning light;
Hymns, allelujahs, songs of holy praise,
Such as archangel voices love to raise,
In tones seraphic thro' the portals roll,
And sounds of heaven first bless the enraptured

soul.

Then wert thou given, hallowed saint, to know
All that which gave thee joy to hope below;
With eyes unveiled to view the works of grace,
And see thy God and Saviour face to face.
Oh! what a sight, when, with uplifted eyes,
Thou did'st behold that Saviour in the skies,

And see the peerless glories that adorn

Those brows that bore on earth a crown of

thorn.

Oh! what a moment, when, with bended knee,
Before the throne of God's dread majesty,
In awful pause, thy trembling spirit bowed,
While saints proclaimed the joyful news aloud,
And heaven exulting rung to the glad strain-
Glory to Him, who on the cross was slain."

This was the thought-the thought of this blest hour

That soothed thy sufferings with assuasive power,
That tuned to notes of praise thy latest breath,
And of its sting disarmed the shaft of death.
Oh! 'twas an awful-'twas a glorious sight
To see thy spirit, so serenely bright
'Midst all the terrors of death's trying hour,
Recalling the last efforts of its power,

To teach (ere it should quit this scene of strife)
The glorious mercies of the Book of Life;
And dwell enraptured on each blessed word
That promised life eternal, through the Lord.

Such is the death believing sinners die :
No tear to dim the heaven-directed eye-

No vain regret for aught they're leaving here! But filled with hope, yet awed by holy fear, In blest tranquillity they yield their breath, And sink repineless in the arms of death.

(Evanson.)

March 17.

THE SAFEST PACES FOR A CHRISTIAN.

Beware of driving too furiously at first setting out. Take the cool of the day. Begin as you can hold on. In a word, endeavour to hit the just medium, so as neither to make too much haste, nor too little speed; neither to loiter, nor to run yourself out of breath

(Toplady.)

March 18.

INFIDELITY.

It is the want of a fearless and aggressive energy which, at the present moment, emboldens infidelity, staggers the wavering, and leaves the ground open to the wantonness and the impudence of visionaries. How great a revolution in favour of Christianity might, under the conduct of the Divine Spirit, be now effected by the