as it is now called by common sense, the "seedvessel."

Dr. Tafel speaks of seeds as containing only sufficient nutriment to cover the germ with matter, to which S. T. replies, "This is perfectly incorrect. Take as one instance the ordinary cocoa-nut. Few, if any, animal eggs contain as large a supply of nutriment for the germ or spiritual principle as this vegetable egg, if we may so call it.” Does S. T. think that the contents of the cocoa-nut are intended solely for the supply of the germ, and that they are sufficient to bring forth the plant by an orderly development? If so, let him prove his theory by placing his cocoa-nut with some real eggs in the incubator. We have never tried it, but we are satisfied the chickens would come forth, living witnesses to the performance of the mother's duties, but that the cocoa-nut, or "vegetable egg," would not be "hatched," but would be losing, and probably by the time the chickens were hatched would have wholly lost, its vitality through having no mother. If he should succeed in hatching the nut it would certainly be a prodigy.

That one plant receives an impression from another we readily admit-call it fertilization if you will-and that thousands of new varieties of plants are raised from such cross impression we know to be a fact, but that such cross impressions prove plants to be bisexual we deny. All the floral organs, sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils, even to the ovule contained in the ovary, are modified leaves, in their origin the same, but made to assume varied forms to accomplish the designs of the Creator, each set of organs performing some special use. The concurrent actions of stamens and pistils produce seeds, and seeds only. As a rule seeds are produced by organs contained in the same flower; but as the organs are made to act from the external of one through space upon the external of another, there is a chance for one plant to make an impression upon another of an allied species or variety, and thus assist in producing new and beautiful flowers of varied forms and colour, and also new and useful varieties of fruits and vegetables. We say assist in producing because the cultivation of the earth has a great deal to do with it; indeed it would be difficult to tell which has done the most in producing new and useful varieties, cultivating the earth or manipulating the plants. All the organs of reproduction in plants are essentially male, and it need not excite surprise that male organs should act upon male organs, as the same thing is done internally in the male of all animals.

The leaf is the type of all the floral organs, which is proved by the appearance of some peculiar freaks of nature. Sometimes the floral organs are all petaloid; in other cases they are all in the form of leaves. Sometimes, by what is called progressive metamorphosis, sepals are changed into petals, petals into stamens, etc.; in other cases the reverse takes place by what is called retrograde metamorphosis. Where, then, shall we find the distinction of sexes?

In conclusion, we must refer to the beautiful parable of the Sower. Reading this parable we find ourselves in the presence of One greater than either Swedenborg or Linnæus. He who makes all seeds speaks of them as bearing fruit, not always according to their nature alone, but according to the nature of reception, conception, and subsequent nourishment by the ground upon which they are sown. "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear" (Mark iv. 28). "The earth alone, or ground, is their common mother, and consequently acts as a female" (T. C. R. 585).

66

We are sorry to see in a recent issue of Morning Light a denial of well-known facts in botanical science. Our good friend "S. J.," in his zeal to defend Swedenborg, has overleaped the bounds of propriety by attempting to prove, with insufficient knowledge of the subject, that the impregnation of plant pistils by the stamens is "preposterous," "all fudge," and "a pack o' nonsense." If we admit the testimony of his "practical" and ' amateur gardeners," the whole argument based thereon is of a negative character, and can have no weight against the thousands of positive facts daily before the eyes of the practical botanist. Whether true "hybrids," according to the idea of "S. J.," are ever obtained or not, we have many crosses between plants of different specific names, clearly partaking of the nature of both plants crossed, and crosses innumerable between mere varieties. It is one of the principal departments of the business of practical botanists to attend to these crosses, to obtain and retain new and valuable varieties of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. You might as well tell the sailor who spreads his sails to the wind that the wind never blows across the ocean, as to tell the practical botanists that the impregnation of plants is all a pack o' nonsense." R. GARDINER.

ORDINATION OF THE REV. THOMAS CHILD.

N Tuesday, October 15, the ordination of the Rev. T. Child took place in conjunction with the forty-eighth anniversary of the Bath Society.

The ordination service was held at four o'clock-the Rev. R. Storry ordaining minister. Mr. Child was supported by Mr. Young and Mr. Pitman. The service of the New Liturgy was followed, and impressively rendered. After the ordination Mr. Storry preached from Jer. iii. 15-"I will give you pastors according to Mine heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." Mr. Storry having referred to the fact of all human power and privilege being the outcome of the Divine Love, dealt in the second part of his subject with the Scriptural conception of the pastor's duty, pointing out clearly and forcibly that that duty consisted in the work which the Lord here said He would give pastors to the Church for the purpose of performing, viz. feeding with or teaching knowledge and understanding. By feeding with knowledge, the presentation of the spiritual phenomena and facts of life, here and expounding of the entirety of spiritual principles which underlay hereafter, was meant; and by feeding with understanding, the and gave unity to these phenomena. In conclusion, the mutual duties of pastor and people were pointed out. The sermon was well received and appreciated by a good congregation. The service occupied an hour and a half, and was followed throughout with much interest, the choir also adding to that interest by rendering well the anthem, "Behold, how good and joyful!" Previous to the ordination Mr. Storry baptized Mr. and Mrs. Child into the New Church.

At six o'clock a large company sat down to tea in the schoolroom, and at seven a public meeting was held in the church. The chair was taken by the Rev. T. Child, and addresses were given by Mr. Child, Mr. Storry, and Mr. Pitman, a brief financial statement being made by the Treasurer, Mr. Chivers, a general statement of progress by the Secretary, Mr. Young, and reports of the Sundayschool and library tendered by Mr. Frank Spear. The Chairman, in the course of his address, remarked that he suspected that, from the fact of his seeking ordination, some doubted whether he had ever been ordained before. He had been sometimes asked why he wanted reordination. He wished them to understand that he had been regularly ordained into the Old Church at Castleford in Yorkshire. It was impossible to express publicly his whole reason for seeking reordination, but surely it was open to him to take advantage of any good there was to be had from the New Church ceremony, though he distinctly disclaimed even the occurrence to him in thought of any pecuniary motive. But was there not an influence from the spiritual world into the natural? Might not such spiritual influence pass through the Lord's appointed channels, as, for example, through the laying on of hands? Somewhere here lay his answer to the question asked him, but he would leave them to work it out for themselves from this general principle.

Mr. Storry delivered a long, able, and thoroughly interesting address, in which he carried the meeting with him-a result which was evident not only in the marked attention paid to the speech,

but more particularly in the frequent bursts of applause with which it was received. We refrain from attempting to reproduce it, as it would be simply impossible to do anything like justice to it here. For the success of the meeting the Society is largely indebted to Mr. Storry, and not less for the pleasure of the other services.

Mr. Pitman announced that he had in preparation 10,000 copies of Parson's "Religion and Philosophy of Swedenborg" for gratuitous distribution amongst the clergymen of the Church of England. A friend had promised him £40, and he would appeal to the Church for as much as cover the cost of printing, which was all the help that he sought from without. It was a neat little fourpenny book and could be produced at a cost of 2d. When the first venture succeeded he should be ready to proceed with another 10,000 copies. We cannot help adding that we trust Mr. Pitman will be well and quickly aided in this truly great and good work.

PUNCTUALITY AT CHURCH.

HE Manual of the Birmingham New Church has the following on the subject of punctuality at church. Without questioning for a moment the necessity which may exist of bringing it specially before the members of that Society, we are quiet certain that it is a point which requires to be brought before a wider public: "We have been asked to draw attention to the large number of people who come late to church; this, however, is not at all needed, as unhappily they always call attention to themselves. We would however beg to impress upon all our friends the great importance of always being in their places when the service begins. If the pew be not as punctual as the pulpit, there is a disturbance of the quiet, not only of the minister but of every devout breast turned toward him. All are conscious of the interruption; and one of the number who has most need to be calm and collected, must eminently suffer. The effect will be different in proportion to temperament; one will be affected more than another; but to all it must be more or less a disturbance. Nor is it enough to be in time for the chief part of the service and particularly the sermon. We make bold to claim for prayer and praise a place of the greatest importance. The pulpit will concur in the argument that supplication and psalmody, chapter and chant, heighten the value and deepen the emphasis of the sermon. They promote that receptive frame and attitude of mind which the preacher seeks to possess in the pew. The service which he conducts does not consist of unconnected parts; it is a compacted unity. It is a lyric piece, whose music should flow unbroken to the end, and when the last word of the benediction has fallen with its sweet influence on our ears, let us rest for a moment in hallowed silence, that the thoughts and feelings awakened and kindled within us may sink into our hearts, and remain with us. We should neither be slow to come, neither stand gossiping on the steps before entering the church, nor yet be in haste to go."

BURIAL CUSTOMS.

AKING advantage of the large assembly of clergymen in Sheffield at the Church Congress, "The Funeral and Mourning Reform Association" called a meeting at the Church Institute on the last Congress day to consider the "Burial Customs" of the country.

The Bishop of Sodor and Man presided, and expressed his opinion that nothing could be more disgusting to humanity than the way in which funerals were "performed

now.

Upon the motion of Earl Nelson, seconded by Canon Clarke, Vicar of Battersea, it was resolved, unanimously, "That an association be formed called 'The Church of England Funeral and Mourning Reform Association,' the members of which shall encourage the adoption of such observances only as are consistent with a hope of resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord; and discourage feasting and treating on the day of burial, and all useless or extravagant expenditure in the coffin and its furniture on the occasion of the funeral and in the wearing of mourning; the members adopting the broad ground that funerals should be conducted and mourning worn without the unmeaning pomp, vain ostentation, and dismal pageantry of hatbands, scarves, plumes, mourning coaches, heavy crape trimmings, and the like, which involve unprofitable expenditure, inflict severe hardship upon persons of limited means, and neither mitigate grief nor manifest respect for the dead."

ARGYLE SQUARE CHURCH.

CHILDREN'S SERVICE.

FOLLOWING up the successful services in connection with the harvest thanksgiving on Sunday the 6th inst., a special children's service took place on Sunday the 13th inst. at four o'clock in the afternoon, which was attended with equal success.

The Sunday scholars were arranged in the front seats in the centre of the church, occupying about half of the centre seats. The remaining part of the church was soon fairly filled by the members and friends, and the general public, among whom were also a considerable number of children of various ages. The church was,

as on the previous Sunday, tastefully decorated with wheat, flowers, etc.; and the service specially prepared and printed for the occasion partook of a harvest-thanksgiving character, although the sermon did not. The service consisted of five hymns, two prayers and the Lord's Prayer, two sermons from the Word, the Creed, and the Commandments. And the satisfactory manner in which the Sunday scholars joined in the Creed and the Commandments and sung the hymns bore evidence of previous training for the occasion.

The Rev. John Presland took for his text the words, "God heard the voice of the lad" (Gen. xxi. 17), and addressed himself particularly to the children. He wanted, he said, to tell them about something which took place four thousand years ago, and he described to them in a very pleasing and attractive manner that portion of the history of Hagar and Ishmael contained in the above chapter. He pointed out that a mode of rescue came to Ishmael just in time, and the reason for it was that "God heard the voice of the lad" as he lay in the wilderness under one of the shrubs. This showed the wonderful omnipresence of God. A gentleman once said to a little girl, “I will give you an orange if you will tell me where God is," and she replied, And I will give you two if you will tell me where He is not.' He directed attention to the 139th Psalm, saying that every boy and girl ought to learn it, for in it was shown how impossible it is to go anywhere from the presence of God.

He next touched on the importance of prayer. They should tell God all their faults, and that would help them to refrain from doing wrong. They should tell God about their blessings of home and health and so on, and go to Him in all times of trouble and distress. And if they asked in a proper spirit, God would hear them as He did Ishmael. The discourse was presented with homely illustrations adapted to the capacity of the children, who listened to it with attention and evident interest.

After the service, tea was provided in the schoolroom. And at the evening service the Rev. J. Presland lectured on the subject "Jesus Only," being the first of a course of nine lectures on the attributes of Jesus.

DALSTON NEW CHURCH SOCIETY.

QUARTERLY MEETING.

HE Quarterly Meeting of this Society was held at Albion Hall on Wednesday, October the 16th. Three new members were elected, and the reports presented were generally of a most satisfactory character: the Treasurer's financial statement was a cheering one, as it showed a good balance in favour of the Society. The arrangements for the forthcoming quarter display considerable activity. Four week-night lectures will be given under the auspices of the Missionary and Tract Society by the Revs. John Presland and Dr. Bayley; and a course of Sunday-evening lectures will be delivered by Mr. Dicks on subjects connected with "The Future Life." The object of the latter is to counteract the vigorous efforts lately put forth by the Christadelphian body at the Luxembourg Hall. It was resolved to advertise the Society's existence in the neighbourhood more freely than has hitherto been done, in the hope that of the many strangers who are certain to be attracted by that means, some at least may find in the teachings of the New Church the truth they have so long, and ofttimes painfully, sought

in vain.

DERBY NEW CHURCH.

HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICE.

N Sunday evening, October 13th, a harvest thanksgiving ser vice was held in this church. The interior of the edifice was adorned in a most pleasing and effective manner, especially the platform and reading-desk. The decorations consisted of a variety of plants, flowers, ferns, and evergreens, with a rich supply of fruits. The pulpit lamps were neatly covered with fern leaves, and from e centre were suspended two splendid bunches of ripe grapes. On the communion-table were displayed two bouquets of rare beauty; the rails surrounding the table were gracefully entwined with evergreens

and ferns, and here and there decked with dahlias, and other flowers. Within the rails were placed small sheaves of wheat, oats, and barley. The marble panelling in front of the pulpit was enriched with grapes and other ripe and delicious fruit. A wreath of flowers and moss, in which were laid pears and apples, crowned the large stone font. Also the bases of the windows of the church were beautified with a plentiful supply of flowers, etc. The effect of the entire arrangement was most exhilarating and wholesome, tending to increase and strengthen a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude to the Giver of all good and beautiful things. Manifestly the work of decoration was performed by earnest and loving hearts. On the occasion the sermon was preached by the Rev. J. Ashby, who took his text from Psalm cvii. 8, 9: "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness," etc. His discourse was listened to with evident satisfaction by a large and appreciative congregation. The anthem, "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem," was happily rendered by the choir. An offertory was taken at the close of the service which amounted to the sum of £4, 14s. 6d.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Job xix. 25-27.-"Query" writes: "Dr. David Thomas in his Book of Job: Exegetically and Practically Considered,' gives the following rendering of Job xix. 25-27 :—

'But I know my Vindicator lives,

And the last, He will arise over the dust:

Yea, after my skin, when this (body) is destroyed,
Even without my flesh shall I see God:

Yea, I shall see Him for myself,

Mine eyes shall behold Him, none other (shall do so),
My reins pine within me.'

This is very different from the Authorized Version, the substitution of without' for 'in' in the fourth line completely taking away the ground of argument usually deduced from this passage. Can you inform me whether the version of Dr. Thomas is a correct one?" In reply to this query we have to say that the Hebrew word mibbesari, which Dr. Thomas translates "without my flesh," when translated literally means either "away from my flesh shall I see God," or "from my flesh shall I see God;" the Hebrew particle min before besari (my flesh) signifying both "from" and "away from." Swedenborg in A. C. 3540 and 3813 translates this passage thus: Ex carne mea videbo Deum, viz. "Out of my flesh" (i.e. out of my vivified proprium) "shall I see God."

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The forthcoming number of the Words for the New Church, the occasional serial published in Philadelphia by Messrs. Lippincott & Co. for the Academy of the New Church, will contain the first part of a most able and exhaustive paper on "Modern Science and Speculative Philosophy in the Light of the New Church." It is expected that this and the following two numbers in which this will be the leading paper will all be published before the end of the year.

The

The Academy of the New Church has reopened its Theological School after the long vacation with ten students. The students, we learn, have a gymnasium, the name being taken from the gymnasia in the spiritual world described in the T. C. R. 136. It is intended not for the development of the muscles of the body, but for the exercise and development of the mind in matters of wisdom. students discuss in it, often with great ability, spiritual, historical, and literary questions. On September 27th, for instance, they had a discussion which it was delightful for all who were privileged to be present to hear. It was on "the end of the world," taking the much-discussed paragraph, A. C. 931, as a starting-point. It was shown pretty conclusively that Swedenborg does not mean in that paragraph to teach that the globe would perish. This was done by a critical examination of that and the two following numbers. The question hinges to some degree on the explanation of constare potest, "it can appear," or "it may appear." The question is to whom? The sentence immediately following, "They are deceived who believe," etc., would not make it illogical to apply the constare potest also to these mistaken ones and not to Swedenborg. The real difficulty is the word potest, for in such a connection we would rather look for might appear" than for "can or may appear." Were the MS. of the Arcana in existence it would be interesting to turn to it and see whether instead of potest Swedenborg did not use posset, which would quite clear up the difficulty. The discussion was conducted in a most interesting manner, and was one in which all the students took part.

On Sunday, October 13th, the Rev. C. H. Wilkins preached the Sunday-school anniversary sermons, morning and evening, in the Manchester New Church. The children belonging to the Sunday.

school sat together in the gallery during the service, and the morning sermon was on the ever-perennial text, "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

"The Glasgow New Church Mutual Improvement Society" held its first meeting of the session on Saturday the 12th, in the hall connected with the church in Cathedral Street. The President, Mr. Andrew Eadie, read a paper on the benefits to be derived from a Free Trade policy as compared with Protection. The meeting was fairly attended.

On Tuesday, October 8th and 15th, Mr. Gunton gave the first and second of a course of three lectures at Wigan. The subjects were "The Bible a Revelation of God to Man, and the Law of its Interpretation shown," and "Heaven the Eternal Dwelling-place of Good; Hell, of the Wicked." Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather on the opening night, the attendance was good at both. A large number of tracts, old magazines, and minutes were circulated, and about a hundred copies of the silent missionaries were sold. These lectures were delivered in the New Jerusalem day-schools, Warrington Lane, Wigan.

In the Concert Hall, Lord Nelson Street, Liverpool, Mr. Gunton began on Thursday, October the 10th, a short course of lectures in defence of revealed religion and Christian doctrine. The attendance was fair and the interest which was excited abundantly shown in the large demand for our missionary literature at the close of the lecture.

The Rev. J. F. Potts, B.A., is at present giving a course of Sunday evening lectures on the Correspondence of the Grand Man, in the New Jerusalem Temple, Cathedral Street, Glasgow. The lecture last Sunday evening was on the Brain in the Grand Man. It was fairly attended, a good number of those present being strangers.

Our correspondent at Mauritius writes on September 12th as follows: "I have little or nothing to report as to the progress of our Society save that at our monthly meetings and weekly lectures we generally see a few new faces, and that some two months ago we had the pleasure of meeting Lieutenant Smith of H.M.S. Fawn, whose father was once a member of Dr. Bayley's congregation. It is so rarely that we see any one from outside who takes an interest in our doctrines that when one does pass our way we are doubly glad to see him.'

The Lord Mayor of London in his official robes presided at a "Mission Service" held in the Guildhall on Tuesday, October 15th. The service was intended mainly for the purpose of reaching the business and commercial men of the city, who filled the room to overflowing. A stirring address from the text, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon," was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Aitken, a popular mission preacher.

The Bulletin de l'Association de St. François de Sales mentions among the most recent cures effected by the agency of the late Pope Pius IX. that of a young nun at Paris, who was relieved of a frightful attack of colic by the application to her body of a pair of white silk drawers which had belonged to the late Pope, and happened to be in the possession of the convent; also that of an Augustine nun at Sienna, who was cured of a bad cancer in the face by the application to it of a portrait of Pius IX.; and that of a medical man at Malaga, who was cured of a number of diseases by touching an old stocking of Pius IX., and who took immediately an oath never to apply to his clients any other means of cure but that which had succeeded so well with himself. In Texas, a stillborn child was brought to life by the touch of a cross blessed by Pius IX.; and in the Convent of the Enfant Jésus at Coire, near Lyons, a nun who had a cancer in the tongue and serious internal disease invoked one night, when suffering acute pains, the aid of the late Pope, and, after being comforted by his apparition, was found completely cured next morning. These cures are cited, among others, to make good the claim of immediate beatification set up for Pius IX.

Ministers frequently experience difficulty in procuring long holidays, on the ground that it is not easy to find "supplies." The following extract from an American paper shows how the matter may be arranged by those married ministers who desire complete rest: "Mrs. Jennie H. Caldwell will occupy the pulpit of her husband at Geneva, Illinois (Rock River Conference), while he is in Europe, on a vacation of three months."

The Bishop of St. Albans, in anticipation of his approaching "visitation," has issued a series of articles to his clergy, some of which are quite novel. For instance, he asks if Confession is recommended before Communion, and also if there have been any celebrations with less than three communicants.

The following information will doubtless interest those of our readers who feel interested in Dramatic Reform. It is, we hope, the beginning of a new state of things. The London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian writes: "The Lord Chamberlain, ‘after a careful and anxious consideration,' has come to the conclusion that he cannot recommend Mr. Arthur Matthison's play, 'A False Step,' for licence. He admits that the piece, 'in respect of its ultimate purpose, is without doubt profoundly moral,' but in its application to English life he fears it will give much offence,' and that our public and their critical guides would fasten on the situations, which are extremely strong, and would exclaim that the moral of the piece was only fit to be taught through the Divorce Court.' He adds, "Of adultery we have had somewhat too much of late in the form of adaptations from the French,' and then goes on to say, 'It is, I assure you, not without reluctance and regret that I find myself obliged in the responsible exercise of a public duty to reject a piece which has so much merit in it as your version of this fine and powerful play.' A False Step' was to have been produced at the Court Theatre. Mr. Matthison has some thought of publishing the interdicted play."

One of Bishop Anderson's curates has been found fault with for saying that "the Lord Jesus in the early part of His ministry had many times tried to lead Judas to repentance." The Vicar of Horley has written a letter in defence of the said curate, in the course of which he says: "If the Lord Jesus did not try to lead Judas to repentance, what did He try to do? To drown him in the deeper depths of destruction? God forbid. We are told that the goodness of God the Father leadeth men to repentance, who after their hardness and impenitent heart treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath. We know that God the Son wept over the doomed city, because it rejected His loving call when He would have gathered it beneath His wing. We find that God the Holy Ghost has striven with those who have 'resisted' Him." If it were not for the large number of Gods enumerated by the Vicar of Horley (God the Father-one. God the Son-two. God the Holy Ghost-three. Three what? Three Gods as plainly enumer ated as possible!) we should be disposed to thank him for his timely defence of the great doctrine of Almighty love, that love which is manifested by "God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

JESUS TEACHETH NOT TO BE ANXIOUS ABOUT WORLDLY THINGS.

This

November 3rd, Morning.-Matthew vi. 24-34. There cannot be two ruling powers of our life: we cannot serve the true God and the god of the world (mammon meaning riches, gain). The love of God as the one ruling principle is alone compatible with right living. But if these two masters or principles exist, and we cannot serve both, we must make one of them serve us: "Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your soul. . nor for your body.' living above the outer, psychic, or soul-life can only result from a right estimate of the relative value of the inner and outer, or in Scripture phrase, pneumatic and psychic (spiritual and natural). The phrase itself, "Be not anxious" (as the words "Take no thought "should be interpreted), implies a proper exercise of thought but condemns the worry of thought. Is the outer life to be disesteemed? Not so; we are to "take thought" for the means of sustaining both soul and body, but we are not to be solicitous about either. It is the attempt to accredit the getting of spiritual and natural good to ourselves that is forbidden, and the placing of the inner life first that is enjoined. The fowls of the air are supplied with life and the means of sustaining it; must they not gather up the means of living? Every capacity of spiritual and natural life and the means of satisfying these are supplied freely to us by our Father. We have not to create them or to order their dispensing. Let us not then think of them as if they were ours or to be had merely by our own power. We must acknowledge whose they are while lawfully using the means of attaining them. The spirit of reliance and trust that we shall get from Him whose they are, what it is right for us both spiritually and naturally to have, and the endeavour to cast out worry when it intrudes, will practically be found the best temper in which to meet life in all forms. How humanly dignified is that mind which, while doing its best, would yet meet with trustful contentment every state in which it finds itself! There is no state on earth comparable to the large-hearted trust in the Best of a God-loving man. Such state the Lord would here lead us into-a living, holy, happy, unshakable and serene looking to Him, while using the means both spiritual and natural which He has put within our reach. This kingdom of God is the thing first to be sought-the government of our minds by Divine truth and goodness, developing unbounded trust and activity. Is there a

heaven other than this?

SAUL'S MALICIOUS RAGE AGAINST DAVID.

November 3rd, Afternoon.-1 Samuel xix. 8-17. Here are two of Saul's attempts to kill David. There can be little doubt that Saul was subject to fits of madness. Though of fine physical proportions, his nature, intellectual and moral, was not strong enough to bear the strain of his exalted position: there are those whom eminence bewilders and who cannot "carry their heads." Passion, in fitful bursts, may take the place of an originally weak will. Such a man would, in Scripture, be said to have an evil spirit, and no doubt where the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered. An evil spirit-yes; but he was mad all the same. Contrast with him this other-energy of will, clearness of intellect, capability of sustaining dignity, intense susceptibility to all the facts of his nature and surroundings. Nervous energy is here the source of power and pledge of final dominance-not that he under or over estimates the facts, but he faces them feeling their greatness. Here then we have Saul and David-types of two spiritual characters. In Saul we have the natural man in his vacillating, weak-willed allegiance to truth, his incapacity of definite pursuit of it, his alternate fits of "goodiness" and wickedness, his suspicion of others thought to be better than himself, his fits of rage against such (who are what he half suspects he can never be), and his devilish willingness to crush them that he may reign alone and be rid of a hateful monitor and example. Saul's attempts to kill David, then, represent the natural man's antipathy to, and struggles against, the power of spiritual truth. Such men are open occasionally to better influences-Saul loves music and David plays before him. But let the devil enter and all such sentiments will be scattered by the swift javelin-stroke of passionate enmity. Nay, he will pursue them, rout them out of the inmost dwelling of the heart (David's house), but the things that can in such a case be destroyed are only teraphim on pillows of goat's hair-appearances of truth that rest on faith alone, while the spiritual truths-the Davids-escape unhurt through the exertions of a Michal--that merciful love of truth which prevents the wicked from finding the truth which they would only desecrate and destroy.

Printed by MUIR AND PATERSON, 14 Clyde Street, Edinburgh, and published. by JAMES SPEIRS, 36 Bloomsbury Street, London, W.C.