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That the God of Truth, who can use as well the feeblest as the mightiest instruments to accomplish His gracious purposes, may bless this poor effort for the promotion of His glory, and for the bringing back some wandering sheep into the good Shepherd's fold, is the very earnest prayer of the writer.

THE

GREAT ECLIPSE,

ETC.

“LET THERE BE LIGHT!"-so spake the Omnipotent Word, when the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters, Jehovah viewed darkness brooding over the mighty deep, and the earth resting without form and void :-" And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." And on the fourth day, by command of the same almighty Word, "the heavens" declared "the glory of God, and the firmament showed his handywork;" for the sun came forth" as a bridegroom out of his chamber," rejoicing "as a strong man to run a race;" "going forth from the end of the heaven," making "his circuit unto the ends of it;" and the moon in paler, softer brilliancy arose, with a

host of starry attendants, obeying her great Maker's summons to be the ruler of the night. But good, precious, wonderful and enduring, as was the light thus marvellously created, it pleased the Eternal to give better, more precious, more wonderful, more enduring light still; and that, too, for a lesser worldthe lesser world, which he made on the sixth day, out of the dust, the small dust of the other. For the Lord God, He in whom is no darkness at all, breathed into the beautiful form he had fashioned an undying breath, and man became a living soul. In that breath was light as well as life. Adam's soul was then no chaotic thing, over which darkness brooded, for it was a perfect miniature of its perfect Creator, illuminated with two great lights-the light of reason and "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God," by which man was enabled to worship his Almighty Benefactor in spirit and in truth; by which he could see the love, wisdom, and power of his Father-God, everywhere and in everything. Now, there was one dwelling in darkness and abhorring light, could not fail to espy this good work of the "Father of Lights," without a malicious longing to obstruct, if not destroy it. You know the attempt, the, alas! successful attempt of the great enemy of God and man. You know how Adam gave Satan admittance into the otherwise impregnable fortress of his soul, by the first disobedient act;

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that our cruel adversary forthwith spread his own dark shadow between man and his God, thereby producing in the soul of Adam, and in the soul of her, the sad partner in his guilt, an eclipse both mental and spiritual. Their reason became darkened; their spiritual discernment beclouded—so beclouded, as to become an instrument of alienation from, instead of attraction to the Giver. The soul, once full of light where was perpetual day, then became dark as night. The triune Jehovah viewed the mischief effected, and determined in free sovereign mercy to procure a remedy for man's dangerous state; indeed, knowing the end from the beginning, had provided in eternal council the more than antidote. God, the Father, planned the magnificent scheme for ruined man's recovery, which was, to rob the third heaven, if I may so speak, taking from thence the brightest luminary which shone there. God gave His Son, the "SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS," and bid Him "arise, with healing in his wings," to shine upon the darkened soul, saying, as it were once again-"Let there be light." God the Son undertook to accomplish the gracious plan, for "Lo, I come," said the Light of Lights, " to do Thy will." And God the Spirit engaged to apply the remedy effectually, and thus restore in man's soul "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God," and that "in the face of JESUS CHRIST." No sooner had

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Adam sinned, than the first rising streaks of glory of this all-glorious SUN were seen in the promise made, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. And surely-as we admiringly behold the radiant bow of promise, contrasting so strikingly with the desolated shores of the recently-deluged world; as we mount Moriah's summit, and hear, though so far off, the aged patriarch, who, with knife sharpened and resolution undaunted, and faith stronger than parental love, return answer to that touching inquiry of the only and well-beloved son he was preparing to slay— My father, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb ?" "My son, God will provide himself a lamb; as we watch the reposing Jacob, and wait to listen to his dream-the dream in which he saw that wondrous ladder, so high that, differing from Babel's tower, its top dipped into the pure light of heaven, whilst resting upon earth; thus connecting God's throne with His footstool; as we behold the same patriarch afterwards, during the mysterious contest in which he was allowed to be the successful combatant, and hear that new name given to him-the name "Israel, for, as a prince," had he had "power with God and with men, and" had "prevailed;" as we wonder with Moses at the bush burning, yet unburned -consuming, yet unconsumed, and wonder yet more at the prophet's standing on holy ground in the imme

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