condemned to death, when his brother, a soldier who had lost both hands in fighting for his country, came into court, and, without speaking a word, held up his poor maimed stumps; they spoke so strongly that with one voice the judges and the crowd exclaimed, Pardon, pardon for the brother's sake!' What blessings of pardon, of peace, of joy come down to us from our Father, in answer to the silent pleading of our Elder Brother's hands!"

66

But, father, we can't heal the sick and the blind, as our Lord did."

I

"True, dear child, we cannot; but we can nurse them, and cheer and comfort and help them in a hundred ways, if, through God's grace, we have eyes, first to see what is needed, and hands ready to do it." Glancing lovingly at his wife, he added: "I know a mother with plenty to do at home, who contrives to give many a half-hour to help a sick neighbour, and who often uses her busy hands in petting and soothing a little child in pain and sorrow. know a little girl who, however tired she may be, will go a long way round to get a flower for a sick schoolfellow. We cannot give sight to blind Jim round the corner, but we can give a kind hand to lead him and kind words to cheer him. We cannot cure the deaf, but we can consider their sorrow, and speak loudly and clearly, and not think it a trouble to repeat a thing over until it is heard.

"A little spare time may be spent in making something for some one poorer than ourselves, or in something we can sell, so as to have to give to the missionary-box. Bob and Jim can use their hands for God, if for a few evenings they dig and plant the garden for poor Widow Graves, who cannot do it herself nor pay to have it done; so they will be helping to feed the hungry, though they cannot multiply the loaves and fishes as Jesus did.

"God, 'our own God,' knows what we have and what we can do, and He accepts and blesses and is pleased with the very least thing done for His sake to one of His poor people. Let us then, each one, day by day thank Him for

our hands, and ask Him to give us something to do for Him with them, and to teach us to do it, and then give His blessing on it, be it great or small. The most commonplace action will be full of interest, if we but try and do it as Jesus did, to the glory of God, and by the power of the Holy Ghost."

K.

The Captain and his Wife upon the Rock.

FINE merchant-ship once struck upon a huge rock in the Southern Ocean, and quickly after sunk, carrying a great proportion of her crew with her. A few of the sailors, however, put off from her in the large boat, and thus saved their lives; and the captain and his wife also escaped sinking with the vessel. When it became evident that she must be immediately overwhelmed, he put his arms around her whom he loved, and threw himself with her into the sea, resolved that they should be saved or perish together.

The cruel waves, which were rolling with great violence, were merciful to them, and washed them, still clasped in each other's arms, on to a high ledge of the rock that had destroyed their ship, and left them there in comparative safety, but still in painful circumstances. Certain death from starvation would be their fate on their narrow platform refuge; and to avoid this their object was to reach the boat which was waiting to receive them.

The strength of the waves prevented its approaching the rock to take them on board, and their resting-place was also at a great height, so that they had only one means of escape. Backward and forward at their feet the gigantic waves swept and returned; and it was necessary that the prisoners should one at a time throw themselves upon one of these at the exact moment of its approach, that they might thus be borne by it toward the boat which was ready to take them on board. Springing at precisely the right instant, the safety

of the wrecked one would be secured; doing so only a few seconds too late, the wave would be already upon its course, and he or she would be dashed to pieces upon a lower ledge of the high rock.

According to her husband's desire, the wife resolved to take her chance first, and, standing upon the edge of the rock, she watched the advance of the wave that she hoped would prove her salvation. At the right moment her husband gave the word for her to leap; but she, unnerved, did so just too late; her deliverer sped on without her, and her husband saw her cruelly perish before his eyes. He was tempted at first to share her fate; but love of life prevailed with him; he leaped into the turning wave, was borne by it toward the boat, caught in the arms of some of the sailors, and saved.

And how telling an illustration is given us in this simple story of the difference between those who immediately accept salvation, and those who put off this necessary work to a future period. Just like the position of the prisoners upon the ledge of rock, who, staying there, must quickly have been starved, or washed from off it into the sea, is that of every Christless man. To remain as he is, is slowly and certainly to perish everlastingly.

But such a sinner as this is not left hopeless in his misery; for very near to him, like the welcome boat in the story, is the God-provided salvation which may soon become his own. Just as the sailors in the boat looked with pitying eyes upon their unhappy tellow-voyagers-as they waited for these at the peril of their lives-as their boat contained necessary accommodation for those who entered it, and was able to waft them to the safe shore-in all these respects have we, in these sailors, an illustration of the salvation of Christ. He pitied the sinner in His misery. He not only risked, but gave His life to redeem him. He waits with open arms to receive the lost one to His embrace. He

engages to give to those who apply to Him comfort and blessing here, and a safe passage to heaven.

And in the rising and falling wave of which we spoke we have also a beautiful type of the offers of mercy which the servants of God are continually bringing to lost men. These offers come to the sinner-they powerfully impress him; and if he, with all his might, accepts them on the instant, he finds himself gently and easily borne, by the Spirit with which they are accompanied, into a condition of security and peace; but delaying to do so, how different his fate! Of the two of whom our story told, one acted with wisdom and energy, and was saved; the other showed a weak hesitation, and died a cruel death; and just the same contrast holds in the concerns of salvation. How slight a degree of hesitation has frequently made all the difference to a soul, between an eternity of blessing with Christ in heaven, and everlasting misery in hell.

Unsaved reader, then, whoever you may be, pray, we beseech you, for the Spirit to enable you to learn the lesson of our story. Whatever your outward position, your eternal ruin is drawing on apace, whilst the Saviour is waiting now to redeem you from the curse of your destroying sin. In this simple paper is one more sincere offer of His great salvation; by His grace, with all the energy of your soul, accept it on the instant, or to-morrow it may be too late to do so, whilst the message which you are now rejecting will add to your future misery.

A

The Spikenard Poured Out.

Mark xiv. 3.

ND must the alabaster box be broken

Before the spikenard which it held is found?
In life scarce ever word was of her spoken,

Now first her praises round her bier resound.
Locked in her breast all still and shy she kept it,
The balmy odour of the loveliest mind;
Her heart is broken-now it hath o'erleapt it,
And fills with sweetest fragrance all the wind.

She dazzled not-now are her friends lamenting;
She was the loveliest rose in all the train;
She seemed alone-ah! now to all consenting,
The magic of her presence is made plain;
Noiseless she passed—but now her poor are pressing
Loud praising the kind angel at their side,
Who gently wrought her deeds of heavenly blessing,
And meekly ever thanks and praise denied.

And in this room where, like the scent of flowers,
Her memory through every corner strays
Within small space-what wonder-working powers,
What costly treasure our fond love doth raise !
Her faith, her humble hope, her love untiring,
Her secret longing prayers that ever wait,
How in the tender songs her soul inspiring,
They speak to us so sweet, and ah-so late!

Dear child recluse, how oft thy tender caring
The fairest flowers hath reared within thy room;
Who guessed the holy garland was preparing

Within thy heart of praise in heaven to bloom?
Oh who could read, in thine eye brightly beaming,
The heavenly mind, the God-devoted skill?
A harmless child was to the world thy seeming,
But to thy Lord, meek learner of His will.

Broken the glass-the spikenard runneth over,
The perfume fills the silent house of woe,
Like breath of heaven around all hearts doth hover,
And all the weeping forth in praise doth glow.
So when an angel to his home immortal

His Lord recalls from some kind errand sent,
He leaves his traces here within earth's portals
In sweets to roses and to lilies lent.

Broken the glass-the spikenard forth is pouring,
Which was so precious, pure, refined, and rare;
We pour it at Thy feet, Lord, Thine restoring,

She first had brought herself an offering there.
Soar upwards then in the sweet incense showers,
Oh beauteous saint! oh spirit of our love!
A rosy cloud that from these earthly bowers
With softest gleam points us to heaven above.