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churches, and with a view to raise up an effective barrier against all the machinations of evil, and especially of Rome, there must be among us a great increase of the spirit of prayer, and a manifestation of it on all those occasions which are set apart and sacred to the exercises of devotion. It is mournful to see the prayer-meeting lightly esteemed, and the lecture on the week-night or the sabbath far more preferred. The one is the address of a mortal to his fellowmortals, the other the approach of united minds to the footstool of the eternal God, and their invocation to the Most High. The one is the voice of instruction, and communication betwixt man and man, the other the voice of supplication to the Infinite Fulness and Source of all light and love. Can too much importance be attached to it? Can too much blessing be expected from it? We are in danger of undervaluing it. The prominence given to preaching in our system, and the time occupied in it, though neither too great, has probably a tendency to the depreciation of the Divine ordinance of united prayer, and an unconscious indifference to it in our minds. But it was not so from the beginning. The first meeting which the apostles and disciples held after the ascension of their Lord, was a prayermeeting in that "upper room" at Jerusalem; and from that time to the present, through all the eventful history of the Church of Christ, meetings for social and united prayer have been amongst the most effective means of her prosperity. The praying church has always been the prosperous church; the hour of prayer the most sacred, the most uniting, the most influential, the most profitable. It is that which brings us nearest to each other, and nearest to God; that which opens the windows of heaven, and brings the blessing down. Then it is that our feebleness takes hold" of Divine strength; our insufficiency of God's all-sufficiency; our emptiness of his fulness. The Sabbaths, the

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ordinances, the efforts of the Christian Church, are all sanctified and rendered effectual by prayer; and in proportion as the Monday evening prayer-meeting is remembered and enjoyed, does the ministry become strong, and the cause of truth and love prevail. The maintenance of communion with God will always keep the way open for communications from above, and, gathered around the footstool of mercy, no influences of earth will touch or hurt us; whilst, on the ladder of faith, and of a Saviour's mediation, angelic spirits will descend to encamp round about those that fear the Lord. Thus united, we shall be defended. Thus established and thus employed, firm in attachment to truth, and frequent in the utterance of dependence on its Divine Author," the weapon that is formed against us shall not prosper, and every tongue that riseth up in judgment shall be condemned." No evil need be feared. Or, should it approach, "when the enemy cometh in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”

Next to the cultivation of the spirit of prayer, at the present time, is the importance of union, forbearance, and brotherly love among ourselves. Never were the churches more loudly called upon to remember the "new commandment" of their Lord than now, and to put forth all the suitable exercises and manifestations of compliance with it towards their brethren. With peculiar emphasis does that apostolic injunction sound in our ears, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." The mantle of love must now be employed more frequently than ever, not to cloak sin, or screen the transgressor, but to cover each other's imperfections, and be thrown over the weakness and infirmities of brethren. There must be a tendency to

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look more at the Divine than the human; improvements of human nature are to more to what grace has done than to be made therein. And therefore, whilst what of nature remains. "There goes they are in process, and till they be atJohn Bradford," said that eminent Chris- tained, our motto should be that of the tian and martyr, when he saw a crimi- good old Puritans, " In things necessary, nal passing by, were it not for the unity; in things indifferent, liberty; in grace of God." And how often may we all things, charity." O when shall the appropriate to ourselves, and should ap. happy day come when this shall be expropriate to others, such a reflection as emplified in every society of believers! this! We mourn over the faults of Then shall the world again say, "See others, and perhaps dwell upon them, how these Christians love!" and apforgetful how many we have in our proving spirits that minister to our salselves, and how much of real religion vation, exclaim, “Behold, how good and there may be even in those whom we how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell are disposed most freely to condemn. together in unity." The question is not, "Are they all that they should be?" before we can love them; but, "Is there any good thing found in their heart towards the Lord God of Israel?" Has Christ received them? Is there any scriptural reason to hope that they "have passed from death unto life," and have come over the boundary into the kingdom of God? Then must we receive them, love them, pray for them, associate with them, and do all in our power to help them forward, as friends and followers of the same Master, of Him who "will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax." The fellowship of the Christian church was never yet perfect; nor will it be, till the imperfections of time give place to the attainments and glories of eternity. It is an institution for discipline, a relation for improvement, for the very purpose of correcting what is amiss, promoting what is good, and supplying what is wanting. As such it should be regarded by all; entered upon by the young Christian, encouraged by the old; each one endeavouring to promote the other's welfare, "until we all come, in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." This should be our aim, both for ourselves and our brethren. Progress is the law of the Christian church. The noblest developments and the highest

Finally, eminent piety in the churches, as the best preservative from the snares of Popery, should manifest itself at the present time by renewed and increasing activity in the Saviour's cause. Never was this more urgently called for than now. If ever Christians might slumber at their post, or indulge in the peaceful lull of security, it is not in times like these, when dangers thicken, the storm is gathering, and breakers are all around. To sleep now, and be indifferent to the issue of the pending conflict, would be as culpable as the supineness of the sentinel, who should slumber when the foe was lurking; or that of the mariner, who should be indulging when the tempest was bursting from the clouds. Every eye must be wakeful, every heart intent, every hand employed. To devise means of usefulness for the edification of the body, and for the furtherance of these glorious purposes for which the churches of Christ are by Him constituted and sustained, should be the aim and occupation now of every one that bears the Christian name. In such a world as this there is something for all to do-ordinary work for ordinary times, and special employment for special seasons. Much is to be achieved in promoting the stability, the union, the progress, of all the followers of the Lamb; and much more in gathering others into the fold of the good Shepherd," besides those who are already

gathered." "There remaineth much land to be possessed." The ignorant are to be taught, the careless admonished, the wandering reclaimed, and the young brought to the paths of peace. Aggression must be constantly made on the empire of darkness and indifference around; and assaults, well originated and well sustained, be directed against the citadel of Satan and of selfishness in our world. All will fall short of what duty, obligation, and necessity require; and the utmost efforts we can employ be far disproportioned to the greatness of the work to be performed. But that work is intrusted to the Church's care, and is to be effected by her instrumentality. To carry it forward is the design of all the wisdom, love, and grace, bestowed by the ascended Redeemer on his people; nor will He acquit them from their obligations till they have finished their testimony for Him, and, by the work of faith, and labour of love, gained the world to His side. For this their time is prolonged, and they are not "taken out of the world." For this He lives, and patiently waits, till all

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things be put under Him, and till “his enemies become his footstool." He sways the sceptre of the universe, and superintends the movements of Providence, with a view to the final result for which He died, and for which the sufferings of Gethsemane were endured. And not till this is realized, and in it He beholds the fruit of the travail of his soul"-not till the accuser of the brethren is cast down"—not till "Babylon the great" is fallen, and every corrupt and hostile power usurped over His church is no more-not till the heathen be gathered to Him for his inheritance, and "the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession,"-will the labours of His servants end, or His followers be released from watching, toiling, and conflict in His cause. Glorious consummation! Till then, till Rome is conquered by union, truth, and love, may we all have grace to be faithful to Him who bought us with His blood; "stedfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

M. C.

THE OPENING OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

THIS unique and magnificent Edifice | imposing assembly, waiting with breathwas opened by our beloved Queen on May-day. Nothing could exceed the grandeur of the spectacle, or the order which pervaded all the arrangements. As her Majesty proceeded, in state, from Buckingham Palace to Hyde Park, she was greeted with the warmest demonstrations of affection by thousands of her loyal and attached subjects; and when she entered the Crystal Palace, attended by Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, her Ministers of State, and Ladies of the Court, it was delightful, beyond expression, to mark the enthusiasm which spread like an electric shock through the vast and

less anxiety to hail the approach of their patriot Queen. The national anthem, which has been set apart to the expression of loyalty to our British Sovereign, was never before sung with equal effect, or with more entire cordiality. We perceived a glow of inexpressible satisfaction stealing over the countenances, even of foreigners, as they witnessed the undissembled expression of loyalty and good feeling which marked the reception of Queen Victoria, and which, by sympathy, was extended to her illustrious consort, Prince Albert. Those who witnessed the scene which took place as her Majesty, with all her native grace and dignity,

took her seat upon the throne, can never forget it, or lose the impression, while memory holds its seat.

When the national anthem had ceased, and the assembled thousands were hushed into expectant silence, his Royal Highness Prince Albert drew near to the throne, and read, in the name of the Commissioners, a Report full of information upon all material points relating to the rise and progress, the objects and arrangements, of the Exhibition. One fact was very prominent, that of 15,000 exhibiters nearly one-half are British. When her Majesty's answer was returned to the Commissioners' Report, the Archbishop of Canterbury, by a most fitting arrangement on such an occasion, offered up a prayer peculiarly distinguished by the appropriateness of its petitions, and the devout simplicity of its spirit. We felt that it had but one defect, which we are utterly at a loss to account for, that it contained no supplication for the Queen and the Royal Family.

At the close of the prayer, the choir, perhaps the most complete one that ever performed on any public occasion, sung the Hallelujah Chorus, and the effect produced was overwhelmingly sublime.

The last act of the imposing ceremony was performed by the Marquess of Bredalbane, who in a distinct voice announced that the Queen declared " the Exhibition open;" when the loud flourish of trumpets proclaimed the fact to the assembled multitude.

We were much gratified in observing the perfect good humour which pervaded the assembly after the Queen had retired, and all the barriers had been taken down. There was, indeed, a little jolting, and a few rude people mingled in the crowd; but the most sanguine friends of the Exhibition could scarcely have expected so much of order and propriety in so vast a concourse of people from all parts of the world.

It is said that, in one or two places,

in the line of procession from Buckingham Palace, there were a few acts of petty disorder; but, upon the whole, it must be regarded as a striking proof of good arrangement and growing civilization, that so many human beings could have been drawn together to one spot, on a day of public rejoicing, with so little to occasion pain or regret.

Now that the Crystal Palace is open to the public, and thousands have examined its interesting contents, we may be forgiven for indulging a few reflections on so remarkable a phenomenon.

We never sympathised with those who frowned upon the undertaking. The fears of danger entertained by some good people appeared to us purely ridiculous. Those who compared it to the Tower of Babel, and identified its interests with the presumption of the Babel-builders, under the guise of piety, were chargeable with the grossest calumny. The enemies of free trade, who made it a pretext for assailing all who differed from them, only evinced the weakness of their cause, or something worse. And those who clamoured against the appropriation of a portion of Hyde Park, the least valuable to the public, and the least frequented by them, lost sight entirely of the fact that an abundant compensation was in store for the people for this temporary subtraction from the space allotted for their public walks. They would, we are persuaded, have the Crystal Palace a thousand times rather than the open ground on which it stands.

Looking calmly, then, both as Christians and philanthropists, at the great Industrial Exhibition, we cannot but regard it as a gratifying sign of the times-as an omen both of progress and happiness.

1. It is a step towards international good-will. Whatever brings men of different nations into amicable intercourse, for the accomplishment of objects of common interest, must tend to soften the asperities of the past, to obliterate pain

ful remembrances, and to render future collision less probable. There was no man in the Exhibition, on the day of opening, upon whom foreigners, and even Frenchmen, looked with greater deference and respect, than the Duke of Wellington, as they stood with the great Warrior on the same platform of amity and industrial rivalry.

2. It will afford practical demonstration of the state of art and manufacture throughout the world. All that might be written on this subject could never so thoroughly impress the minds of the people as the sight, with their own eyes, of the actual productions of the comparative skill and industry of different countries. The representatives of all nations, who may visit the Exhibition, cannot fail to benefit by being able to make such a comparison of the real progress of human invention; and, from the vast resources of Eugland, she must have more than an equal advantage with her foreign neighbours.

3. It will prove a beneficial and elevating source of amusement to the people. They must have recreations of some kind; and how often do they prove to be of the most degrading and demoralising tendency! But the Crystal Palace will open to the people a new and valuable source of amusement-one that cannot corrupt the heart, and which

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must tend to elevate and improve the taste and the intellect. We hope that the Commissioners will give a day, now and then, for the common people, at 6d. We have not the slightest apprehension that it would lead to a particle of disorder.

4. The gathering of the nations may be overruled for much spiritual good. If the Christian church does its duty, in this country, good will be the result. In many private circles, we may hope that the influence exerted will be beneficial. Foreign disciples will find out our earnest Christians, and will seek their fellowship; and mutual consultation will lead to the formation of plans for the spiritual good of foreigners generally. The public lectures and discourses to be delivered, in churches and chapels, in German, French, and Italian, may be expected to be overruled for great spiritual benefit to many.

Upon the whole, we expect a blessing to come out of the great Exhibition. It will foster sentiments of international friendship; it will give an impulse to the energy and enterprise of the nations; it will furnish rational and elevating amusement; and in many cases it will be overruled for the advancement of vital godliness.

Let all Christians watch and pray that they enter not into temptation.

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY.

DISPOSITION Or temper proves a hin- | mystical body. Some there are, of a drance to the exercise of this Christian grace. The Church of Christ, composed of individuals possessing dispositions peculiar to each, must necessarily be exposed to the injurious effect of the quarrelsome, arrogant, or morose; the expression of such feelings must ever be repulsive to the humble, loving disciple, and produce a coldness of affection, if not engender positive discord, between the members of Christ's

litigious character, never happy in agreeing with their brethren, and apparently as much disappointed when they discover others agreeing with them. Some assume the dictatorship—what they assert is to be considered lawtheir purposes and plans only to be adopted and carried into executiontheir decision final; and if other ar rangements should be considered more expedient, they doggedly refuse their

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