There was nothing in the man himself, and nothing in his surroundings, to distinguish him, to give him importance, to give him influence, apart from the grace of God. From first to last he could truly say, "By the grace of God I am what I am." That grace, then, is a real power in those by whom it is received, and singles out its possessors for honour even in the judgment of those who have it not. Such characters are its most convincing witnesses; no other power has such facts to show. Here was a man living in gross ignorance and sin, enlightened, renewed, transformed by the grace of God, and made a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Reader, that grace can do as much for you. It may be that you have been living a worse than aimless and useless life-a life under the dominion of evil propensities, and given up to fleshly indulgences-a life which has done no good to any one, but much harm to very many—a life which has dishonoured its Author, its Preserver, its Redeemer. A life without God is a failure-a life without Christ is a lost life, a lost life Now as well as in the future. Does not your own heart confirm this testimony? What in the past can you reflect on with satisfaction, in prospect of the great account? What have you done or obtained that you will deem worth the labour a hundred years hence? The fatal omission charged home upon the proud king of Babylon was this: "The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified." Whatever else may be accomplished, to miss of this is to miss the true end of existence. "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider your ways." "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near." You were not made to be debased and ruined by sin, and to be a source of moral contamination to your fellow-creatures; but to bear the image of the ever-blessed God, and to shine as a light in the world. Let not another precious moment be wasted; with "weeping and supplication" return at once to the Lord. Confess your sins to Him against whom they have been committed. Cast yourself wholly upon the perfect

work of the Lord Jesus, who died for your sins, and who lives "to save to the uttermost" them that come unto God by Him. Hear the gracious message: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." This life in Christ will fill, pervade, ennoble, beautify, bless your whole being, and make you as a point of light in this dark world. Then "lay hold on eternal life."

The motto of this paper expresses a simple and ready, but true and effectual, method of serving our generation. Were this acted on, police, law-courts, penitentiaries, prisons, would soon cease to be wanted. Order, confidence, harmony, sympathy, and love would prevail. A spirit of mutual helpfulness would be breathed into all the relations of society. And this is nothing more than the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because such a motto is so rare, only shows how far that gospel is from being generally received and obeyed. Let each one in his sphere aim to be a follower of Him "who went about doing good," and so help to make earth the purer and brighter by his presence here. "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will my Father honour."1

The following are a few of the lines composed by a Christian friend on the death of John Rawlings:

"Thy pilgrimage on earth is done,

Thy victory gained, thy crown is won,
Thy conflicts and thy griefs are o'er,
No more to sigh.

Thou now art home in heavenly rest,
Leaning on Jesus' loving breast,
Waving thy palm before the throne,
For ever blest.

Thou now hast seen the smiling face
Of Him whose glory fills the place,
Whose smiles are infinite delight

To souls redeemed."

1 John xii. 26.

The Stranger at the Door.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."-Rev. iii, 20.

"THERE'S a knocking at the door, John; I hear it—oh! so

plain.

Ah! would that I had answered it before it came again.

I'm sadly grieved in mind, John, our darling is so ill.
It's all my work and all my time to nurse poor little Will."

"You must not grieve so, Mary; our Willie may get well:
The doctor hoped so yesterday, though he said he could not tell.
I've heard the Stranger knocking since first our little lad
Was seized with sudden illness, and we feared the case was bad."

"Oh, the Stranger has been knocking these twenty years and more:
He always comes in trouble, John, to my barred and bolted door.
I heard the knocking first of all when sickness came to me,
And I trembled at the thought of a near Eternity!

There's scarce a week now passes but I hear the same sad knock,
And I mean when I have time, John, these fastenings to unlock;
But, oh, how wondrous patient this Stranger Friend must be !
Or He'd have wearied long ago, for so it seems to me."

The little one grew weaker, and the mother's tears fell fast; She knew the dreaded day had come that would surely prove its iast.

God's angel bore her treasure home, and the Stranger, as before, Knocked-only yet more loudly-at her barred and bolted door!

“What, all in tears, poor Mary Bland!" her loving pastor said, For he had entered quite unseen, and sat beside the bed, Whereon the lifeless form was laid of the child to her so dear. "Tis well, my friends, for I perceive the Saviour has been here."

"It is a bitter trial, sir; he was our darling boy,

The sunshine of our little home, our treasure, and our joy.
Oh! would that he were back again; but this can never be.
I ne'er again shall hear the voice that spoke so prettily!"

"There's one thing I am thinking, wife, before our pastor goes-
He'd tell us who the Stranger is; it may be that he knows."
Then Mary told him everything, the knockings at the door,
And how she had not found the time to open it before.

"Oh yes! I know Him very well. To my door oft He came,
And I grieve to think so long a time I treated Him the same;
But through trouble that He sent me, adversity's dark day,
I opened wide my wilful heart to His most gentle sway."

"And has He power to comfort, sir, the sad and lonely heart? Can He heal the troubled spirit, and the wound from which I smart?"

"Yes; if you open wide the door, He'll cleanse your heart from sin,

Then, wondrous to relate, make His own abode within.

I cannot tell you, Mary, the half He is to me,

And none can fill the void you feel save He, and only He!
The healing balm for every wound, the Comforter in grief!
The only Friend who has the power to bring you sure relief!

Seek Him, dear friends, and you will find the pearl of greatest price,

And rest the weight of all your sins upon His sacrifice.

Make Him your Friend and Counsellor, and you'll know as ne'er

before

The wondrous loving Saviour, who stands knocking at the door."

But ere he left that darkened home, in fervent tones was heard The pastor praying fervently-for his soul within was stirredThat they who for so long a time had slighted their best Friend Might welcome Him into their hearts, and serve Him till life's end.

"I did not know 'twas Jesus who was knocking at the door.
We must not grieve Him, Mary, or resist Him any more;
But seek His pardoning mercy, and beg Him enter in
And take possession of the hearts so long enslaved by sin."

"I've read about His sufferings, John, His death upon the cross, And how that we might know Him we should count all things but loss.

His message to the weary-oh, it sounds so sweet to-day !— 'Come unto Me, I'll give you rest. I am the Truth, the Way.'

I am thinking very much of our darling little boy,
And how I'd like to see him in the world of endless joy.

It would soften all my anguish were I sure we'd meet again.
Oh, let us give our hearts to Him, the Lamb for sinners slain !"

Oh, there is joy in heaven to-day, in songs of praise exprest,
As two poor burdened souls in prayer the sinful past confest,
And prayed that they might realise the Saviour's pardoning love,
And reign with Him hereafter in the realms of bliss above.

'Twas thus they lifted up the latch and opened wide the door,
And praised the glorious Saviour they had slighted so before,
And found how sweet the comfort His presence can impart,
Himself the only Healer of the broken, contrite heart.

One word to you, dear reader: Christ knocks at your heart's door;
He wants to gain an entrance, for your weight of sin He bore.
It may be He has waited long; perchance is waiting still:
Beware, lest once too often, you treat this Friend so ill!

You'll want Him on your death-bed; in life He asks for you:
You'll want Him in adversity; in joy He wants you too.
Oh, let your heart and voice respond as ne'er it did before
To the loving, gentle Saviour, who stands knocking at your door!

M. J. H.