heart, "What is the use of prayer? Does the omniscient God need our words before he helps us? He would then be like a man. Can a man's prayers and sighs alter his plans? Will not the gracious God give us of himself whatever is good and useful?" These were the thoughts of the youth.

But Hillel was troubled in his heart that Maimon should think himself wiser than the Word of God, and he determined to teach him better.

When Maimon went to him one day, Hillel was sitting in his garden, under the shade of a palm-tree, meditating, with his head resting upon his hand. And Maimon said to him, "Master, about what are you meditating?"

Then Maimon lifted up his head and said, "I have a friend, who lives upon the produce of his estate. Till now he has carefully cultivated it, and it has well repaid his toil. But now he has thrown away the plough and hoe, and is determined to leave the field to itself; so that he is sure to come to want and misery."

66

"Has he gone mad?" said the young man, or fallen into despondency?"

"Neither," said Hillel. "He is of a pious disposition, and well grounded in learning, both human and divine. But he says, The Lord is omnipotent, and can easily give us nourishment without our bending our head to the ground; and as he is gracious, he will bless my table, and open his hand.' And who can contradict him?

"Why," said the young man, "is not that tempting God? Have not you told him so?"

Then Hillel smiled, and said, “I will tell him so. You, dear Maimon, are the friend I am speaking of."

"I?" said Maimon, and started back.

to lift your head towards heaven, to receive his heavenly blessing?"

Thus spake Hillel, and looked up to heaven; and Maimon went away and prayed, and his life was a very godly one."

"GIVE ME JESUS." AM I young? Does my blood course rapidly in my veins? Are all life's charms, and pleasures, and vanities before my vision? If so, give me Jesus. How superlatively beautiful is youthful piety!

Am I middle-aged, and the head of a family? Give me Jesus. Surely I need him to assist me in setting an example before my children. Without him, I cannot train them up in the way they should go.

Am I old? Do hoary hairs cover my head? Am I certain I cannot sojourn long in this vale of tears? Oh, give me Jesus! Yes, I want him for a constant companion. The friends of my youth are dead and gone.

Oh! Jesus, stand by me now! My feet are tottering on the brink of the river of death. Jesus! stay and support me, accompany me to the other side, help me safely to my Father's house.

Rich or poor, loved or hated, sick or well, learned or ignorant-give me Jesus. In the Eastern city, on the Western prairie give me Jesus. At all times, in all places-give me Jesus.

JOHN GOODWIN ON THE
LOVE OF GOD,

AND THOSE WHO LIMIT IT.

As the sun diffuses his light and heat through every part of the solar system, so God pours forth his universal goodness in numberless streams upon all his creatures, from that infinite source of love which is in him. They who exhibit the love of God in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ as confined to the elect, and preach this gospel unto the world, do by men in respect of their spiritual interests as God would do by the world in things temporal if he should keep the sun in a continual eclipse, and cause ten parts of his light to be continually obscured.

THE

WHICH WAY DOES TREE LEAN? "If the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." (Eccles. xi. 3.) There is a solemn meaning couched under this metaphor. The tree will not only lie as it falls, it will also fall as it leans. And the great question which every one ought to bring home to his own bosom, without a moment's delay, is this: What is the inclination of my soul? Does

it, with all its affections, lean toward God, or from him?-J. J. Gurney.

EXTRAORDINARY LIBERALITY. A SOMERSETSHIRE paper states that a gentleman resident in the West of England has expressed his intention of placing in the hands of Archdeacon Law, vicar of Weston-super-Mare, the sum of £50,000 towards founding a Theological College, which will be commenced immediately.

DOINGS OF THE WESLEYANS. OUR brethren are erecting a noble chapel in Paris, and they are putting forth extraordinary efforts to increase their number of chapels in London. They are contemplating the erection of at least thirty chapels in London. Thousands of pounds are contributed with astonishing readiness; and the Rev. W. Arthur, in the exuberance of his zeal, talks about covering the Metropolis with chapels. We hope their zeal will inflame ours, and cause us to resolve that we will have a full share with them in this great and good work.

:

dear,

Perchance as finding there unconsciously

Some image of himself-I dedicate,

I dedicate, I consecrate with tears

These Idylls.

"And indeed he seems to me Scarce other than my own ideal knight, 'Who reverenced his conscience as his king; "Whose glory was redressing human wrong; Who spake no slander, no, nor listened to it; Who loved one only, and who clave to her--' Her-over all whose realms to their last isle, Commingled with the gloom of imminent war, The shadow of his loss moved like eclipse, Darkening the world. We have lost him; he is gone;

We know him now; all narrow jealousies
Are silent; and we see him as he moved :-
How modest, kindly, all-accomplished, wise,
With what sublime repression of himself,
And in what limits, and how tenderly;
Not swaying to this faction or to that;
Not making his high place the lawless perch
Of winged ambitions, nor a vantage-ground
For pleasure; but through all this tract of
years

Wearing the white flower of a blameless life,
Before a thousand peering littlenesses,

In that fierce light which beats upon a throne

And blackens every blot: for where is he
Who dares foreshadow for an only son
A lovelier life, a more unstained than his?
Or how should England dreaming of his sons ·
Hope more for these than some inheritance
Of such a life, a heart, a mind as thine,
Thou noble father of her kings to be,
Laborious for her people and her poor-
Voice in the rich dawn of an ampler day-
Far-sighted summoner of war and waste
To fruitful strifes and rivalries of peace→→
Sweet nature gilded by the gracious gleam
Of letters, dear to Science, dear to Art,
Dear to thy land and ours, a Prince indeed,
Beyond all titles, and a household name,
Hereafter, through all times, Albert the Good.
"Break not, O woman's heart, but still en-
dure:

Break not, for thou art royal, but endure,
Remembering all the beauty of that star
Which shone so close beside thee, that ye
made

One light together, but has past and left
The crown a lonely splendour.
"May all love,
His love, unseen but felt, o'ershadow thee;
The love of all thy sons encompass thee,
The love of all thy daughters cherish thee,
The love of all thy people comfort thee,
Till God's love set thee at his side again!"

OUR MISSIONS.

CANADA.

THE census of Canada has just appeared, and it reveals some important facts in reference to the religious condition of that interesting country. It proclaims an actual decrease in the numerical ratio of Papists compared with the increase of the population, and compared, too, with the increase of other religious denominations. This is remarkable in a country where Popery has had so advantageous a start, and so powerful a hold on the population. It reveals another fact, of especial interest to ourselves as a religious body, who make that country the principal scene of our Inissionary labours; for it brings out, as a truth attested by Government authority, that our own denomination has, during the last ten years, progressed in a greater ratio than any other religious denomination in Canada; and it proves, further, that the statistics published in our own Canadian Minutes are actually below the real number of worshippers connected with our body as returned by Government authority. So far from exaggerating our number of members and worshippers, our Conference in Canada has been so careful to be within the mark, that the returns in our Minutes state the numbers at 552 less than they really are. Our number of members and worshippers, including their families, now amount to 29,492, being an increase of 170 per cent. within the last ten years. We gratefully record the fact, and devoutly give God the praise. We are in duty bound to record our high estimate of the worthy men whose arduous and self-denying

labours have contributed to this highly satisfactory and gratifying result. The able and zealous superintendent of this mission-the Rev. Joseph Robinson - by combining good management with laborious enterprise-by securing the co-operation of devoted men, and infusing into them his own spirit-has accomplished wonders. Chapels and parsonages have risen up with surprising rapidity; the Mission Fund has been largely augmented in its annual income; an increased stipend has been secured for the missionaries; the newspaper has been changed from a monthly to a highly respectable weekly journal, commanding a good circulation; and all the interests of the Canadian Mission have been placed on a more solid and satisfactory basis. We hope a gracious Providence will long spare Mr. Robinson's valuable life, and that the Holy Spirit will continue in the future to sanction the labours of himself and his noble band of colleagues with those copious influences which have distinguished the past, and even yet more abundantly.

Our friends will find a copious extract from the Canadian Census, with appropriate remarks thereon, printed in the Missionary Notices which are bound up with the present number of our Magazine.

Some of the detailed statistics may be dry and uninteresting to the general reader; but if our friends will give the article such a careful examination as will make them thoroughly conversant with the facts, they will find themselves amply repaid for their trouble; and the observations of the worthy editor on the

census will, we are sure, be read with much interest by all the lovers of our Zion.

CHINA.

We beg to refer our friends to the Notes of a Missionary Tour lately performed by our worthy missionary, the Rev. John Innocent, the whole of which, from their intense interest, we have published in our Magazine. One delightful feature in this tour is, the beautiful instance of Christian union seen in the conjoint labours of our own missionary and the Rev. J. Edkins, the latter being, we believe, identified with the London Missionary Society.

But how shadows are intermingled with the most pleasing scenes! The same notice which records the successful labours of our missionaries, and two delightful instances of spontaneous liberality by soldiers on the station at Tien-tsin, gives us the melancholy intelligence of the murder of two devoted missionaries at Cheefoo. These brethren, Messrs. Holmes and Parker, were, it seems, companion labourers with our own missionaries, and one of them accompanied Mr. Hall from Shanghai. We refer our friends to the whole Missionary Notice, just published, as one having special interest-the sorrowful, indeed, being blended with the joyous, and both calling on the Church at home to remember, at the throne of grace, those devoted men who, amidst difficulties and dangers, are labouring for the conversion of the world.

HOME CIRCUITS.

We have good news from some circuits. The accounts of gracious revivals at Failsworth, Culcheth, and St. Agnes, will be read with much pleasure. We congratulate our friends at these places. They have done well, and God has owned and blessed their efforts. Go on, dear

brethren, in your holy work. The end of our being is to save souls from eternal death; and of all rewards which the employment of mind, body, and property can win, this is the most blessed and the most glorious. "Let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins."

MANCHESTER NORTH CIRCUIT.

FAILSWORTH.-At this place a delightful work has for some time been going forward. Our friend, J. Andrew, Esq., feeling it his duty to pay especial attention to the neighbourhood, but not having sufficient time at his disposal, engaged Mr. Fielden, one of our local preachers at Oldham, and active as a revivalist, to visit Failsworth, and labour for a time in conjunction with the ministers of the circuit. Mr. F. has conducted a thorough visitation of the place. Numbers have attended tomed to religious services; and even the chapel who were totally unaccusthe noon-day prayer-meetings, as well as the evening services, have been largely attended. It has been delightful to observe to what an extent the careless, the neglecters of religion, have been drawn to listen to the truth; and the results have been equally gratifying. Drunkards, swearers, and gamblers have forsaken their former companions, and are now attending the house of God instead of the publichouse. Some of the cases of conversion are specially interesting. Of one man, who was a drunkard, his neighbours say, "If this man can be saved, then there is hope for any in Failsworth." This man, his wife and son, have all found peace. The son in a fellowship meeting said, "It has made a wonderful change in our house altogether." Another man said he thanked God he ever came to these meetings, "for," said he, "I had got down as far as I could get. I have ruined myself and my family through drink." He also had found mercy. In about a dozen cases both husband and wife have professed to find salvation, with the addition, in some instances, of one or more of the younger members of the family. In one instance of determined opposition to Mr. Fielden's

visits, he prevailed by perseverance, and both husband and wife are now rejoicing in God, and the family altar is reared in their dwelling. Of another family, several brothers and sisters have begun to meet in class. For several Sunday nights together parents who had neglected the baptism of their children, have brought two or three of the family to receive that ordinance. Some weeks since, the writer had the pleasure of presenting a New Testament, for Mr. Andrew, to each of the new converts. About seventy altogether were distributed. Many of those brought under impression in these services are young people; and it is gratifying to observe that several adults have begun to meet in one of the vestries to learn to read the Scriptures. Our friend Mr. Fielden, who has been the principal labourer in these services, appears to be remarkably adapted to this description of work, and might be engaged with advantage by other societies of our community, to co-operate with our ministers and friends in evangelistic efforts.

CULCHETH.-Special services have been lately held at Culcheth, in which the Revs. J. Stokoe and A. Bevington have each rendered us an evening's assistance. The services were owned of God; at least twenty precious souls having, there is reason to believe, been under the power of the truth as it is in Jesus. This is particularly gratifying, as it follows a similar work on a larger scale which took place here in the autumn of last year, the writer having publicly received into society, in connection with a Sabbath evening's service, twenty-six members who had met the usual time on trial, giving to each a copy of our rules. Steps are being taken to erect a much needed new school, a large proportion of the sum required being, notwithstanding the depressed state of trade, already promised.

In addition to the above-named services, Band of Hope meetings have been held, which have been largely attended, at which a considerable number-upwards of two hundred-have signed the temperance pledge in our own schools. These meetings have been addressed by my esteemed colleague, Mr. Eddon, and myself, with Messrs. J. and A. Andrew, W. Newberry, J. Blakey, and several persons connected with other religious bodies. A large meeting of this kind was lately

GOOD WORK AT ST. AGNES. DEAR MR. EDITOR,-All your readers who know St. Agnes, know that one of the chief characteristics of its natural appearance is barrenness. It is surrounded by rocks, tin mines, and moorlands, presenting an aspect not at all inviting to any one whose eye is familiar with the beauties, and whose taste has been educated to an appreciation of the charms, of a variegated scenery. And the unfruitful aspect of its physical features has, for some time, furnished an emblem of the dormancy and unproductiveness of its spiritual life. In the latter case, however, we are heartily glad to be able to say that a change has been experienced. God has favoured our Church here with an outpouring of his Spirit. For the last four weeks we have been holding a series of special services, in order to bring about a revival of the work of the Lord. Convinced of the Church's want of preparation for this work, and the absolute need of Divine power to secure success, our first week was set apart for the holding of special prayermeetings to supplicate the Divine blessing on the services about to be held; and many were the fervent petitions which were addressed to the throne of grace for the bestowment of the Spirit's saving influence. These meetings were followed by sermons, addresses, and exhortations, delivered night after night, for the space of three weeks, by the Revs. S. Jones and T. T. Rushworth; and by Mr. R. Nicholls, one of our local preachers; and Mr. F. Jewell, a promising young man, who is at present supplying in the St. Ives circuit, to whom we are greatly indebted for his valuable services. The meetings have been well attended; sometimes the chapel has been filled, once crowded to excess. Night after night the earnest petitions of the penitent have been mingled with the joyous hallelujahs of the pardoned, forming a combination of welcome and delicious sounds. A