face with her pinafore, and sobbed out her grief.

George stood stunned, yet defiant, for be heard his mother's step, and knew he must answer for his morning's work. But no explanation was asked; the shattered doll and the half concealed axe told the tale. Ah, George, George!' said Mrs Douglas, had you been an obedient boy, finished your drawing, and remembered the hymn you learned the other day,

"Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do,"

you would never have brought this sad sorrow on poor Lucy.'

George is a man now, and Lucy has long ago put away childish things, but neither of them has forgotten that memorable morning, when George tried his hand as executioner, at Capital Punishment.'

·

Consider the Lilies.

FURZE.

K.

THE
HE cheerful, golden furze belongs to

all the year. It is like hope in misfortune, to see in the dark wintry days those bright strong blossoms of the fearless furze, shining out on the dull wayside,

135

For you may

or the lonely, snowy moor. find its blossoms in a drift of December snow, or gather them with the first violets or the last roses of the year. Ungreeted by sunshine or unchecked by storm, they open for the whole year's joy. Yet the early months of summer they favour with especial love. If you would see the furze in all its wealth of gold, it is then you must seek it. It is too prickly to gather, you must simply enjoy it with your eyes. Not by possession, but in that unselfish way in which you must enjoy so many things if you mean to have pleasure in life. It is worth cultivating this faculty, which may yield such easy happiness, and such a quiet content.

The furze offers nothing but a gladsome gold to the eye. Its spiny branches defend it like any coat of mail. So you need not try to fondle it, nor bear it home with other flowers. It will not be yours, but will grow where it is, in the open sunshine or the windy rain; it can meet or welcome either, with its brave bright bloom.

The furze has other names. It is the gorse or the whin. Botanically it is known as the Ulex Europaeus. It belongs to the pea-family. When its seed-pods are ripe, they become of a colour nearly black. Resting on some lonely, whiny knowe, on a hot summer day, you may hear a sharp crackling sound which startles you through the silence. It is the bursting of the pods, the scattering of the ripe seeds-ready now for their own silent work, wherever they may chance to fall.

It is said that when Linnaeus first came to this country, and saw the golden English furze, as he never had seen it before, he fell on his knees upon the ground, and gave thanks to God for the sight.

The

For how many lovely and glad things may we continually give thanks. year is closing now, and the flowers have passed away. But the flowers in our hearts do not die-the love and the hope God has given. And all our sweet daily duties, we may take for winter flowers, till we greet the primroses again, and hear the first lark sing.

H. W. H. W.

BY REV. ALEXANDER ANDREW, GLASGOW.

BACK LOOKS.

THIS is the last month of the year 1881,

and my last talk with you will be about Samuel putting up a great stone and calling it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. It was a good example that Samuel gave, and one I would like you to imitate.

Here is the story. For twenty years the Israelites had been oppressed by the Philistines. They had been conquered by them, and the Ark, which was the symbol of the Lord's presence, had been taken. But the Philistines on finding that this was no gain to them, asked that this ark should be restored; shewing that if we dishonour God, or anything by which His name is known, it will be all the worse for us. And for twenty years the Ark was kept in the private house of a good man, of the name of Abinadab. Then, coming to feel that their sin had brought them down so low, and into so much suffering, the Israelites were advised by the prophet to return to the Lord and give up all their vain worship of Baalim and Ashtaroth. This they did. And then, on being asked to meet the prophet at Mizpah, they came in large numbers, and pouring out water as a symbol of their grief and sorrow for sin, they requested Samuel to intercede with God on their behalf, because the Philistines were preparing to come out once more and fight with them. Oh, they said, 'Cease not to cry unto the Lord God for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.'

And see what Samuel did. He took a lamb, tender and good, and offered it as a sacrifice, and then prayed to God over the sacrifice, which foreshadowed Jesus, as God's Lamb for us, without blemish and without spot, and how all our prayers offered up in His name are sure to be answered. For it came to pass that just as Samuel was in the act of offering up the lamb, and praying, down came the Philistines, with their glittering swords, as

But suddenly, in answer to prayer, God, darkening the sky, caused a great thunder storm to burst forth, the lightning flashes of which so terrified the Philistines that they were obliged to turn and flee. Many were killed, while others were smitten by the Israelites, and pursued to Beth-car. And so thoroughly were the Philistines beaten on this occasion, that they were thankful to hide within their own territory, and live at peace with Samuel and his victorious people.

It was a wonderful deliverance; and in order to mark their sense of gratitude, a monument was raised, in the shape of a large stone, and named Ebenezer, which signifies stone of help-hitherto hath the Lord helped me. Not the thunderstorm simply -the lightning and hailstones that may have fallen, and which may have been felt by the proud Philistines to be like bullets from the battlements of heaven; for although all these were the means that God used, yet it was the Lord that had showed Himself strong on the side of His people. And that is what you and I should always do when mercies come to us. We should look upon them as coming from the Lord, and as tokens of His personal interest in us.

Last summer, I had the great pleasure of travelling through Luther's land—visiting the places in Germany with which Luther's name is specially associated, and on coming to Worms I saw a magnificent monument raised to the memory of the great heroes of the German reformation, with Luther standing in the centrehis broad face and hand uplifted toward heaven, as if in the act of saying what he did say at the great diet of Worms, in 1521: Men, I stand, I cannot do otherwise; so help me God. Amen. And there is nothing wrong in raising such monuments to the memory of the great and good, whose deeds have achieved so much for the benefit of mankind; yet we must not fail to see God working in and through them all. He is the author of all our blessings, and therefore it is well for us, on suitable occasions, to

It was

from the jaws of death, or from chains and slavery, gratitude welled up within him, and forced him to do what he did. like David, who, on looking back, could'nt help saying-Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." He could'nt remember them all, for God's mercies are a great multitude that no man can number, but he would 'nt forget them all. He would at least remember some of them, and make them arguments to induce him to praise Him. And on looking on the year that is now drawing to a close, see how much cause we have to thank Godfor such a large measure of health and soundness of mind, and many comforts that have helped to make our life pleasant.

And what if you have been converted this year? What if God has taken you from the horrible pit and miry clay, and set your feet upon a rock, and set you in the way to heaven, with a new song in your mouth?

That, I know, has been the experience of some young people this year. Has it been yours? Or, laid upon a bed of sickness and seeming death, has the Lord raised you up again? or, when in perils by the way or on the sea, has the Lord delivered you? Well, look back and be thankful; for the way to get more blessing is to be thankful for what we have got.

But again, looking back helps to make us humble. For so it was with the Israelites. They saw how greatly they had sinned by worshipping Baalim and Ashtaroth-two idol gods-in place of the one only living and true God, and that made them pour out their sorrow like water. 'God forgive my sins,' said a good man on his deathbed, as he lay looking back over his life'especially my sins of omission.' Think of the little you have done for God, for that dear Saviour who came down from heaven and died for you! Think of the many precious opportunities of getting and doing good that you have let slip away from you unimproved; and what naughty words and wicked deeds you are guilty of. Comparing your life with the life of Jesus, and what He would like you to be. how far

short you have come! Therefore, how much cause you have to be humble, and, confessing your faults, ask them all to be forgiven, for Jesus' sake? And there is nothing more beautiful than humility. It is a grace in which God takes great delight; and it is the stepping-stone to something higher, for 'before honour is humility.'

But more, looking back helps to make us thoughtful. You see the danger you have escaped, and the evils into which you have fallen, and you resolve to try and avoid them in the future. You see how other boys have risen to distinction, and you say, What may hinder me from rising to similar eminence and honour!

Two boys met at the corner of a street in Paisley one night. Reviewing the past one of them said that he had been busy for many weeks, spending all his spare hours in learning Latin and Greek, with the view of entering the university and becoming a minister of the gospel. These words caused his companion to look back and see how differently he had been spending his hours. And after serious thought that night, he resolved to pursue a similar course, and the result was that both these lads became preachers of the gospel-the first of whom is now in glory, and the other is the writer of this article.

Don't you sometimes wonder what you are going to be? I have heard of young people who, on thinking over the poor, unworthy way in which they had lived, sitting down, writing out a plan of their future career, and with all their soul resolving to live to purpose. Now, why not so with you? Why not say, that if you are spared to see another year, and years to come, that you will spend them for God and the good of His cause? Whittington, when a lad, thought he heard the bells saying that he would yet be Lord Mayor of London, and by slow degrees he reached the dream of his youthful years. And whether you hear the bells saying similar things to you, there are many things that whisper that you may rise to great honour and usefulness in this world, if you will but try.

LOOK BACK, for that will help to make you trustful and hopeful in God. Somebody has said that Ebenezer is a stone from which we are able to take a good leap forward. Because, if the Lord has helped us in the past, will He not help us in the future? He is the same yesterday and to-day and for ever. His mercy endureth for ever. Once a prince asked his counsellors to put something on his ring that would be the means of keeping him humble in prosperity, and happy in adversity. And the words they engraved on his ring were these: This too will pass away. And these simple words

had the desired effect. Everything is passing away, and so are we.

'Like mist on the mountains, like ships on the

CHRISTMASTIDE.

MOST delightful season!

Every heart is stirred! Now is seen the kindly deed, Is heard the kindly word.

Many a lordly mansion,

Where dainties daily come, Sends forth the messenger, to light The ' 'poor and needy's' home. Many a lowly homestead,

Where peace and comfort reign, Sends happy child, with heavy load, To ease a neighbour's pain. Merry Christmas to you all!

Large share of Christmas cheer! Merry Christmas to you all, And happiest New Year.

DAVID ANDREW.

139

Sabbath Ebening Talks with my Children

ABOUT THE TABERNACLE AND ITS SERVICES.

THE OFFERINGS.

Q. 83. When the tabernacle was set up, what message did the Israelites receive from the Lord by the mouth of Moses? A. Moses was told to give the people many new laws for worshipping God by sacrifices, and these sacrifices were intended to prepare the minds of men for the Divine plan of salvation by a Redeemer.

Q. 84. Where are the rules given for the proper offering up of these sacrifices? A. In the first seven chapters of Leviticus.

Q. 85. What was the daily service or sacrifice? A. At the daily service, which was held both morning and evening, an unblemished lamb, bought at the public expense, was brought into the tabernacle court and slain. Part of the blood was sprinkled by the priest on the four sides of the altar, the rest he poured upon the ground. The body of the victim was then divided into pieces thereafter; the daily incense was offered by another priest; and, on a given signal, the cloud of incense ascended from the golden altar within, while the people outside offered up their prayers. The priest who had presided at the altar of incense then came out, and blessed the people in the well known words, "The Lord bless thee and keep thee.' The parts of the lamb were then laid upon the altar of burnt-offering, a handful of flour from the meatoffering was thrown upon it, and the drinkoffering of wine was poured out at the base of the altar.

Q. 86. Why was the sacrifice of these lambs acceptable to God? A. Because they were charged with the work of showing that, through Christ's atonement, His people can be forgiven and made acceptable unto a perfectly holy God.

Q. 87. What are we to learn from the history of the morning and evening sacrifices? A. That at the beginning and close of each day we are expected to present ourselves before the Lord, and to make our supplications in the name of the spotless Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

NOTE.-The sacrifice of two lambs during the day began in the wilderness, and for nearly 1500 years the Jews kept up this religious act. Soon after Jesus died all sacrifices ceased.