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IN MEMORIAM; OR, HAY-TIME TEACHINGS.

IN MEMORIAM; OR, HAY-TIME TEACHINGS.

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HE sweet scent of hay is very frequently derived from a certain grass,† which, while it is growing, has no odour at all. When, however,

at last it is cut down, it begins to give out a refreshing perfume that fills the country side. Thus it is with many of the Lord's people, the plants of our heavenly Father's planting. Their simple, unostentatious lives, though fragrant on high, have left them but little known or appreciated while here; but after their death the sweet influences of their faithfulness have been felt far and wide.

Such were the village pastors, George Herbert and Samuel Rutherford. Such was that true soldier of the cross, Colonel Gardiner, starved to death on the burning and barren shores of Terra Del Fuego, and a host of saints beside. Such, in a still higher degree, perhaps, were those blessed dead, who, loaded with infamy, and cast out as evil by the men of their day, through all the Church's history, as the martyrs of Christ, have sealed their witness to the truth with their blood.

It is God's plan to place posthumous honour upon His people. "The memory of the just is blessed." "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord . . . their works do follow them." The humble and despised believer shall most assuredly, by-and-by, have enduring and satisfying fame.

From "Rays from the Realms of Nature." Published by Cassell, Petter, and Galpin.

Sweet-scented vernal grass. The same delightful property is possessed by our sweet woodruffe. The starry white clustering flowers of this plant, which look like very diminutive jessamine, have no odour when fresh, but are deliciously fragrant when dried. Their posthumous perfume closely resembles that of newly-made hay, that is the odour of this same sweet-scented vernal grass, which is given out under the same conditions.

THE ROYAL MARRIAGE.

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THE ROYAL MARRIAGE.

BY A ST G. C. NUGENT.

WEDDING in our own Royal Family! That touches every true and loyal heart in our nation, for we feel that whoever we are, we have a share, because the bridegroom is one who belongs to us all! He is one of those for whom many of us pray every Sunday :-"Endue [him] with Thy Holy Spirit; enrich [him] with Thy Heavenly grace; prosper [him] with all happiness; and bring [him] to Thine everlasting Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord: Amen."

The whole nation has been rejoicing in the new happiness of Prince Leopold, who so closely follows his noble father in his tastes and talents. The 27th of April was a bright day in Windsor. The whole town had an eager, expectant look throughout, and seemed so joyous with all its flags and decorations. The castle climbing up the hill looked more picturesque than ever, and its towers and turrets stood out clearly against the sky.

It was a joy to think of the many hearts that had been, and were on that very day, stirred to pray for Prince Leopold and his bride. And it was a great joy to know how much the Queen already loved her who that day became her new daughter. Those who know her well speak in such warmth of all she is, and also of her father and mother. It was solemnising to think also of the aim and meaning of it all-the linking together of two lives into one.

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We had heard much about "getting ready" for the wedding. Every guest had to be prepared with what was right and fitting to wear. It made one think of the needful getting ready for the marriage by-and-by (Rev. xix. 7). All must wear something fit for the King's presence. We have nothing of our own but "filthy rags." We cannot be admitted in them, so the King Himself provides the "wedding garment," even Christ our Righteousness. He gives Christ to us now, and bids and enables us in His grace to keep ourselves unspotted.

For the earthly royal wedding, the guests must have some right to enter the chapel or any of the castle precincts. They must have a royal invitation; they must have an order

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signed by the Sovereign's representative. No one could turn them back then. They had a right to go in; and yet the right was by grace! by the Queen's kindness. We had not worked hard to get our tickets or earned them in any way! If we had used tickets made up by ourselves and signed with our own names we should have been refused admittance. And we must be given a right to go into God's presence; Christ has purchased it for us by His blood, and now He gives a royal invitation upon which we may enter in. He bids us use His name (Isa. i. 18; Matt. xxii. 3; Jo. xiv. 13). Have we earned the right? No; it is all of grace (Eph. ii. 8).

St. George's is a fine old chapel, with gothic clustering columns, and fretted stone roof and beautiful windows. It was fast filling with illustrious guests, some taking their places at once in the nave or choir, some lingering about in the wide space in the centre of the nave, along which the processions were to pass. The officials in their varied uniforms gave plenty of life and colour to the scene as they moved about, waiting till the summons came to go and meet the first procession at the entrance. Against each pillar stood "a beef-eater, whose quaint Elizabethan garb-scarlet doublet and hose, and black velvet hat, garlanded with the white and red roses of York and Lancaster-is a charming relic of the 16th century." The "heralds " looked as if they had the Royal Standard wrapped round them, so covered were they with the Royal Arms, the three Lions, the Harp, &c.

Soon after 12 o'clock the processions began. It was a striking scene the colouring, the various movements, the royal dignity of the whole-and then the faces! so earnest and radiant of those on whose lives so much of the happiness and real wealth of our country depended, humanly speaking; and then the aim of it all. It was very quickening to praise, and prayer, and love!

First came six carriages with the ladies and gentlemen-inwaiting; as each of these passed every waiting face grew more expectant, and in the seventh came the first members of our (such a nice word!) Royal Family-the Duke and Duchess of Teck, her face simply lighted up with happiness. It is gladdening to know how truly "the Light" does shine within her. Princess Louise was in the next carriage. Perhaps many of us have enjoyed seeing her most clever, lovely sketches of Quebec in one of our magazines (Good Words) lately. Prince and Princess Christian followed; with them was the Duke and the sweet-looking Duchess of Connaught. We could not help vividly remembering the delightful way with which they had received the Bible which the Maidens of the United Kingdom had joined in giving her as their "chief

THE ROYAL MARRIAGE.

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treasure." And as still their choicest gift, the Maidens have been joining in a Bible for our new Princess, in still greater numbers and in increased loyal, prayerful earnestness.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh followed. Their little son, dressed in Highland costume, was an especial feature in the procession. Then came a most entrancing quartette-our lovely Princess of Wales and her three little daughters, who looked so full of life and brightness, as if they could hardly sit still for happiness! They are intensely devoted to their mother. Now followed another Mother with three of her children-the Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, a mother to whom Princess Helen owes much. With her were the Queen of the Netherlands, her son, and the little Princess Elizabeth, whose hand she took, and they thus walked up the nave together.

Within the chapel the silver trumpets sounded, the great doors were thrown open, and this first procession entered, preceded by the heralds "York" and "Lancaster," and the "gentlemen-atarms," while the organ pealed forth as they walked up the nave into the choir. Then the heavy doors were shut, and in silence. all waited.

Outside there was also a pause; and then in the distance sounded, "God save the Queen," and we knew that our Queen was coming. First came her escort of dashing Life Guards, then two carriages; the Volunteers presented arms, wave upon wave of cheering reached us, and of course our hearts would brim over into exclamations of delight as we saw once again our beloved Queen, looking most beautiful; and her face was full of sunshine-smile as she bowed continuously to her devoted subjects.

Oh, thank God for her! for

"Thou art the Mother of thy people still,
Supporting by the pattern of thy throne!
On thee devolves a father's privilege,
To foster, to admonish, and rejoice;
To stay the hunger of the yearning hopes;
To chasten, quicken, and renew

In each fair face a father's monument."-Rev. C. A. Fox.

She had on the celebrated Koh-i-noor diamond, "matchless for purity and fire," and also a small diamond crown; and she wore for the first time since her deep sorrow, the veil of lace she had worn at her own wedding. We felt how deeply her doing so must have touched Prince Leopold and Princess Helen. With the Queen were Princess Beatrice and Princess Victoria of Hesse.

Within the chapel the silver trumpets sounded her approach. The Lord Chamberlain, etc., were at the great door to receive her,

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and while every eye was fixed upon her, she moved forward, bowing graciously all the time.

Another pause within and without.

More carriages and then the one of this procession, the one in which was the Bridegroom, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Hesse, all dressed in uniform. With the same ceremony as before, the procession of the bridegroom enters the chapel as the organ sounds forth one of Mendelssohn's marches.

Again a silence, and we waited with longing expectation to see our new Princess. Soon the distant sounds of joy and cheering told us she had started from the Castle-more brilliant Life Guards-several carriages-increased, closer cheering—every eye eager and then she came! accompanied by her father and the King of the Netherlands, her brother-in-law. She did look most sweet as she radiantly bowed to those who were giving her a glowing welcome. It was deeply moving to remember all the thought that had centred on her, and of all the prayer that “our Father" had received for her from earnest, loyal hearts, all over our land. This linking of the thousands of Maidens together, both to give her the Word of God as their chief treasure, and for prayer that in the written Word they may both ever see the Living Word, Christ Jesus, is a real, deep force. And when the great sorrow of her sister's death followed so quickly upon her marriage, surely God's people were more quickened to prayer and sympathy than ever. May they indeed know all that the Lord Himself can be in joy and in sorrow.

Again the silver trumpets sounded, the doors were thrown wide open, and the Bride, robed in white, passed in, her train held by her eight waiting bridesmaids; and the great doors closed with its solemnising reminding-" they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage and the door was shut." There was no more entering now, no more getting ready. One can never forget the deep meaning it gave to those words.

Then such an intense hush during our beautiful service, while those two lives were linked in one. Those present in the chancel said it was a most moving scene, and that the Princess answered the questions so clearly and with such deep feeling, that one of the Bishops had to turn away to hide his stirred feelings. The chants came in grandly, with such an answering sound, "God shall bless us." The Queen" looked radiant" the whole time. When the service was over she took Prince Leopold's face between her hands and kissed him on both cheeks, and then the Bride. The Bride's father and mother also kissed them both.

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