THE FIRST OF THE PENNY HYMN BOOKS.

THE NEW CHILD'S OWN HYMN BOOK,

EDITED BY JOHN CURWEN.

An entirely new edition of this popular hymn-book. Half of the hymns are newly added, including the most recent contributions to children's hymnody. The book contains 160 hymns, clearly printed on good paper, price One Penny, in cloth Twopence. Large Type Edition, with Scripture references to the hymns, price Sixpence. The Companion Tune Book, entitled "The New Child's Own Tune Book," a new selection of tunes, in Tonic Sol-fa, price Sixpence (bound in cloth, 18.), or in Staff Notation, bound in cloth, price One Shilling.

Notice to Clergymen, Ministers, Sunday School Superintendents, and Sunday School Teachers.-In order to introduce this new hymn-book, the editor offers to send A SINGLE COPY, GRATIS AND POST FREE, during the month of October, to any of the above forwarding their name and address on the back of a post card, to Mr. R. GRIFFITHS, Plaistow, London, E.

Publishing Office, to which all orders should be addressed, 8, Warwick Lane, London, E. C.

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THE ACCURSED FIG TREE.

HAT our Lord, when so near the close of His life upon earth, and just on the eve of that unparalleled act of beneficence whereby He surrendered Himself to those sufferings and death which have accomplished the salvation of His disciples, should have inflicted a curse upon an inanimate and seemingly unoffending object has of course occasioned some discussion. Lest any doubt as to the verity of this miracle (called also by some a parable) should arise, it is on record twice,-in Matt. xxi. 18-21, and Mark xi. 12-14, 20, 21. Many instances occur in Scripture of Christ's displaying His power over natural objects, but only this instance is given of His having done so by way of judg. ment, and we have no reason to suppose the existence of others not stated. Mark's account of the incident brings out the fact that it was not until the apostles passed the spot on the following morning with their Master that they were aware of the execu tion of the sentence on the tree. Doubtless this result, that it should wither and lose its vitality, followed rapidly upon the words of Christ; to the apostles, however, it was astonishing that such a change should pass upon a healthy tree even in the course of twenty-four hours.

The sycamore fig, so it is stated, produces three crops of fruit most seasons, the early or first crop coming out upon the tree in the spring, and attaining ripeness during June. Hence a difficulty appears in the fact that to look for these figs before the feast of the passover, when this event took place, has the appearance of being a demand for what could not be in season then. But, on the other hand, as the fruit of the fig tree is known to develop sometimes before the leaves, a show of these, and as we may presume an abundant show, naturally suggested that the fruit should be there. Dr. Thomson relates that he has plucked ripe figs in May, in a northern district, and where they might be expected to be at least a month later in maturing than in the Jerusalem district. He believes it is quite possible that there were instances of figs ripening before Easter in the vales about Olivet; and it should also be considered that the climate of Palestine was probably more genial 1,800 years ago

than it is at present. Every one who has had experience in fruitculture is aware, too, that some trees are apt to get ahead of their brethren of the same kind without any visible cause.

But some have asked, "Why should Christ have hungered? Does not this reflect a censure on the Bethany family, in allowing Him to quit their house at early morn without refreshment ? " In replying to this one must consider the ordinary customs of an Eastern family of the middle class. It was, and still is, generally usual to take nothing of the nature of the meal we call breakfast, difference of clime necessarily causing a difference of habit. We in Western lands, if we are in health, are hungry on rising, and ready for a solid meal; an Oriental might wish for something to relieve thirst, but he will most likely make his breakfast when we lunch, or take an early dinner. Our Lord, with a heart yearning to accomplish much during the last few days of His ministry, left Bethany, perhaps, soon after the dawn of the day; and the circumstance that after He had walked some distance He felt the sensation of hunger is told by the evangelists with their usual graphic simplicity. Nor can one think it of trifling importance viewed as an added proof of the full humanity of Christ.

It will assist us to the right comprehension of this miracle if we remember that Christ brought about then, in a space of a short time, an event which is constantly occurring, though it may usually demand months or years. Only here and there a tree is found that reaches what might be called its natural term of life. True is it that, as a great modern poet has said, of fifty seeds, but one oft bears, and the others seem wasted; it is also true that gradual decay, induced by the attacks of insect enemies, or by internal disease, causes many trees to wither up and perish that might (to our thinking) otherwise have thriven and been of service to man. The struggle for life, and the conflict of life against life, are always going on under those laws by which animal and vegetable existences are controlled. The destruction of the fig tree by the word of Christ was remarkable for its suddenness, and its bearing the aspect of a penal sentence. Though it has been universally assumed by commentators that the primary lesson deducible from this miracle is the barrenness of a mere profession of religion, unaccompanied by the fruit of good deeds, this is not suggested in the Gospels. It is not an argument of force against such an application of the incident that no utterance of our Lord is given as He may have left His disciples to draw for themselves the lessons suggested; and His next words

WHY CHRIST DID NOT SHOW HIMSELF.

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are called forth in answer to the exclamations of astonishment uttered by the apostles. "Have faith in God" may be read, "Have the faith of God," the faith that will assure you of receiving what you need. There have been those (John Bunyan is a notable instance) who, taking this and other passages of Scripture too literally, have attempted to work miracles, and have failed. God does doubtless interpose for His people at times in a manner that seems almost miraculous; but we have no right to try experiments of this kind, which, were they successful, would conduce to no results of a value commensurate to the answers God gives to prayer in other ways. We must interpret such a declaration as is contained in Mark xi. 23 by the light of Scripture generally, in making application of it to these modern days. For it must of course be admitted that to the early disciples there was for a limited period granted a peculiar power of interference with the world of matter and the world of mind. J. R. S. C.

WHY CHRIST DID NOT SHOW HIMSELF PUBLICLY AFTER HIS RESURRECTION.

THERE were good reasons for Christ not showing Himself publicly after His resurrection. Would it have produced a salutary effect on the Jewish people? They had rejected the strongest evidence of His mission-the miracles which He worked in His lifetime. They had accused Him of acting in. concert with Beelzebub; and their rulers had refused to receive the testimony of competent eye-witnesses to the fact of His resurrection. What probability was there that if He had showed Himself to them they would have abandoned their unbelief P They would, doubtless, have had recourse to every species of evasion to deny or explain away the fact, and would have succeeded in thus imposing upon themselves and the nation at large. But in that case the evidence would have come down to us burdened with the grave objection that our Lord did "show Himself openly to all the people," and yet failed to convince them that He had really risen from the dead. How eagerly would a captious adversary have laid hold of the circumstance! But let us take the other alternative-that they had been convinced, and, as a consequence, became nationally converted to the Christian faith. In that case we should have been deprived of

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THE DEAF MUTE CURED IN DECAPOLIS.

the involuntary testimony which, as adversaries, the Jews bore to the truth of the history, in that, with every desire and motive to invalidate it, they could not do so. By heathen opponents the story would have been treated as the result of combination and fraud. The adhesion of those who had sealed the stone, and placed the guard, and possessed complete power over the sepulchre would have carried little weight. The Roman government would probably have regarded the movement as a symptom of national rebellion, and stifled Christianity in its cradle. Prophecy, too, would have failed of its accomplishment. To the Christian believer other reasons for this seclusion from public view will be suggested by such passages as 2 Cor. v. 16. Earthly communion with the Saviour was now to give place to the fellowship of the Spirit; hence, though He enabled His disciples to bear ample witness to the reality of His resurrection, He appeared to them but seldom, and only for a short time: it was a transitional state between the earthly and the heavenly life of Christ. How much more inappropriate would it have been to display Himself openly to the unbelieving world! Sufficient evidence was given of the fact; and that was all that any one had a right to expect.-Rev. E. A. Litton, Note in his Edition of "Paley's Evidences."

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THE DEAF MUTE CURED IN DECAPOLIS.

Not much is ascertainable about the Decapolis district, beyond the fact that it received the name from ten towns, the sites of which are uncertain. It was inhabited by a mixed race, Greeks predominating, and the Jews being in the minority. Already, at an early period in Christ's ministry, many persons had followed Him from that outlying district of Palestine (Matt. iv. 25), and in the country of the Gadarenes, bordering on Decapolis, He had wrought one of His most memorable miracles. It would appear that the universal feeling with regard to Christ prevailing in this locality was very different from that which, after the first surprise had subsided, became too common in Galilee. The Galileans affected a contemptuous indifference; the people of Decapolis, even those who were not Christ's disciples, regarded Hin with a reverential awe, not unmixed, however, with superstition.