56 "Who is so great a God as our God?" (PSALM LXXVII. 13). WAVE WHISPERS. By WILLIAM LUFF. 100 copies, assorted, of 16 two-page leaflets, with coloured border, in a packet, price sixpence. These tastefully got-up leaflets, by our muchesteemed correspondent, Mr. Luff, will supply a long felt want of papers specially suited for Christian distribution by the sea-side and elsewhere. The subjects of the leaflets are all happily and appropriately chosen, and include the following, amongst others"Filled with the Ocean," "The Harbour," "The Hermit Crab," "The Limpet," "Life's Tide," "Immortal Wrecks," "The Captive Boat," "Near Home." As a specimen, we give No. 1 of the series: "As He Walked by the Sea." MARK i. 16. TILL Jesus walks beside the sea; The steppings of His ministry, He knows no boundary line: The waves, the pebbly beach, these are His aisles-His organ heard afar. Jesus still walks beside the sea, And calls us one by oneLingers, in loving sympathy, As He hath often doneWhispers our names, and gently pleads That we will follow where He leads. Sweet to be called beside the sea By His endearing voice, Called to that Saviour's choice. Thy name He speaks! hast thou not heard And wilt thou slight the gentle word? Shall it unheeded fall? He walks beside thee! Can it be Yes, Jesus walks beside the sea, And finds new followers there. Saviour, I hear Thee speak to me,Oh! lead me anywhere: And, humbly following, let me cast Thy Gospel net till life is past. WILLIAM LUFF. We Shall Know Hereafter. HOW much is left till then! All these mute questionings, brooding doubts, and inexplicable providences, these impressing and depressing thoughts which make us cry out in shadowed moments for more faith lest we fall—all these shall find their answer and satisfaction in the wondrous world beyond the grave. Our ignorance is our chief grief to-day, though, doubtless, we know as much as here we are able to bear; but there He will teach us and lead us through paths of Divine wisdom, and ever revealing manifestations of Divine love. It is enough for us now to know all is right and just as it should be, for God is over all, and we may safely and patiently leave the why and the wherefore to be answered in His own good place and time. "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm xxxvii. 7). MEN may close their eyes to the evidences of the truth of the New Testament, and remain in voluntary darkness and blindness, but the evidences exist, attested by unimpeachable witnesses. STIRLING ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY PERIODICALS. THE BRITISH MESSENGER, Price One Penny. One copy monthly, 18. 6d.; 4 copies, 48.; 8 copies, 8s.; and upwards, sent post free. THE GOSPEL TRUMPET, Printed in Large Type. Price One Halfpenny, or 3s. 6d. per 100. Eight copies monthly, 4s. per annum; 16 copies, 8s., and upwards, sent post free. GOOD NEWS, Price One Halfpenny, 3 copies for 1d., or 2s. 6d. per 100. 18 monthly, 68. per annum; 36 copies, 123., and upwards, sent post free. THE HALF-CROWN PACKET, consisting of one British Messenger, one Gospel Trumpet, and one Good News, monthly for one year for 2s. 6d., including postage, to any address in the United Kingdom. THE FOUR SHILLING PACKET, consisting of two British Messengers, two Gospel Trumpets, and three Good News, monthly for one year for 48., post free, to any address in the United Kingdom. Specimens of the Stirling Publications, with Catalogue, sent free by post on application to JOHN MACFARLANE, Manager, DRUMMOND'S TRACT DEPOT, Stirling, N. B. LONDON AGENTS: 8. W. PARTRIDGE & Co. Melbourne,-M. L. HUTCHINSON, Book Warehouse, 15 Collins Street West. Published and sold by the Trustees acting under a Trust Disposition and Codicils relating to the STIRLING TRACT ENTERPRISE, granted by the now deceased PETER DRUMMOND, founder thereof, proprietors in Trust, at DRUMMOND'S TRACT DEPOT, Stirling, N.B. THE GOSPEL TRUMPET. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." "AS Moses lifted up the serpent sent fiery flying serpents among in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John iii. 14, 15). These most precious words are the words of Jesus. Call to mind the wonderful event to which Christ refers. In the wilderness Israel had sinned; and the Lord No. 320.-AUGUST, 1883.] the people, which bit them, and they died. In their distress they cried unto the Lord, and the Lord appointed this method of cure; a figure of a serpent was made in brass, to which Israel was commanded to look only, and be healed. They who did so lived. If any refused, he died. This was the ordinance of God. [MONTHLY, ONE HALFPENNY. 58 "Behold the Lamb of God!" (JOHN I. 29). Now, saith Jesus, as Moses at the command of God lifted up the serpent, so must I be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Me should not perish, but have eternal life. Now mark what the Saviour saith, and see the blessedness contained in His precious assurance. It was a serpent that stung the Israelites. It was the old serpent, the devil, which poisoned our nature at the fall. All his temptations, assaults, and poisons, are fiery; and when the dreadful effects of sin are felt in the awakened conscience, how do they burn with terrors in the soul! What could the dying Israelites do to heal those venomous bites? Nothing. Would medicine cure? No Was there no remedy within the power of man? No. It baffled all art; it resisted all attempts to heal. Such is sin. No prayers, no tears, no endeavours, no repentance can wash away sin. If the sinner be restored, it must be by the interposition and mercy of God alone. Now observe the method God took with Israel. A figure of brass and if (as some men tell us) anything shining like brass, to look upon when the head and brain is diseased, would make the person mad, so far was this serpent of brass from being likely to cure, that it was the most unpromising thing in the world to accomplish this. But yet it was God's command, and that was enough. It infallibly cured. Look now to Christ. Here also is God's appointment, God's command, God's authority. Christ was "made in the likeness of sinful flesh;" and though holy in Himself, yet was "made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." The single precept is, "Look unto Me, and be ye saved." What must I do? Nothing. Bring nothing? take nothing? No:-the answer is, "Look unto Me." This is the appointed way. Christ is the one only ordinance. Christ is the altar. Offering high priest, "if thou liftest up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." Christ is the Father's gift for healing. In Jesus there is a fulness to heal. Faith, then, hath a double plea : the authority of God the Father, and the fulness of salvation in God the Son. Lord, I take this for my warrant. Help me, Thou blessed Spirit, so to look, so to depend, so to fix my whole soul on His complete remedy for all my need, that Heaven and earth may witness for me that I seek salvation in no other, being so fully convinced that there is salvation in no other : "neither is there any other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."-Dr. Hawker. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" (MATTHEW VI. 33). "What stood in your way?" inquired his sister. "I was just starting in business with Ralph Turner, and I thought I would attend to business first, and put off religion to a future time. I have never seen the day when I was so near being a Christian, and I don't suppose I ever shall." 59 which made her last hours radiant with the glories of Heaven. such a hope as she had," was the agitated "I would give a thousand pounds for answer. "If you would die the death of a Christian, you must live a Christian's life," replied the friend, "When will you ever have a better time?" "I don't know; I don't know," replied the rich worldling. "I never was so busy in my life. I seem to have no time for anything. I have tied my own hands, and am powerless to help myself. But I am not so indifferent as you think. I really wish I were a Christian; and, as I said at the beginning of our talk, I'd give a thousand pounds this minute to be one. But it's "What hinders you now?" said his sister, kindly; "your business is established and prosperous; you acknowledge the import-time for the train, I see, and I must hasten back to the city. Come and see me, will ance of attending to the salvation of your soul; surely you can never expect a better you time than this." "I know it, I know it; but the trouble is, that I don't feel as if I cared so much for it; I'd give a thousand pounds if I did. "Give yourself no rest until you are once more convinced of sin, and anxious to be reconciled to God. Take time for thought, for the Bible, for prayer." "Time! That is just what I haven't at command. Business is very pressing just now; I've stayed from the office too long already. Good-bye!" Twenty years passed rapidly away. The pious sister had just gone to her Heavenly home, and the man of fifty, still impenitent, stood tearfully beside her new-made grave. A neighbour was telling him of her happy death, of the sweet peace and holy joy ?" ** Twenty years more, and an old man lay upon his death-bed. Many a revival of religion had awakened in his breast a passing interest, but left him still unblest. Now he must give up the world, though that was his all. Seventy years had made him rich in heaps of gold; but he was truly a poor man, being without God. Oh, the terror and anguish which overwhelmed his departing spirit! A faithful minster tried, even then, to lead his despairing soul to that Saviour who welcomed the dying thief. But no emotion of love or trust moved across his dark heart; his last dying exclamation hundred thousand pounds to be a Christian!" being, "O if I could! if I could! I'd give a READER! "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” 60 "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh" (JAMES v. 8). Passed By and Not Passed By. HERE were multitudes passing to and fro Where the visionless beggar sat; And scarcely could linger to see There are sad ones still in the city street, Unseen 'mid the hurrying throng. They have eyes, 'tis true, but in all the crowd Nor hear, in the din of the tumult loud, The sun may be shining on all around, And to many the path seem bright; But few are the beams that their search has found,To their heart it is always night. They ask an alms. But the multitude still Hurry on to the crowded mart; And the storm may fall, and the cold winds chill, Ye who are lowly beside the highway, To Jesus of Nazareth cry. Amid the crowd thronging, He sweetly will stay, Will bless thee, and give thee to welcome the light No more shalt thou sit as a lonely one, In the pathway of life thou shalt swiftly run Thou shalt walk with Him who has given thee joy: From a broken heart, there thy skill employ, WILLIAM LUFF. IN reference to happiness, a man only has what he can use. If he possesses a thousand pounds which he cannot use, it matters not, as to the benefit he derives from it, whether it be in his coffer, or in the bowels of the earth. When his wants are supplied, all that remains is only to keep or to give away, but not to enjoy. What is more than serviceable is superfluous and needless, and the man is only rich in fancy. Nature is satisfied with little; it is vanity, it is avarice, luxury, independence—it is the god of this world that urges us to demand more.-Wm. Jay. LOSSES and crosses are heavy to bear, but In three words is the whole secret of life when our hearts are right with God, it is -"LOOKING UNTO JESUS." wonderful how easy the yoke becomes. |