selves with a long pole or strong cord. | Should any one make a false step, and slip, the rope to which he clings will save him, being held firmly by his companions; or should he sink through the snow into some hidden chasm, his being attached to the rope will save him, though he may, for a time, be suspended dangling over destruction.

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lassitude, to stop, but keep moving. Whoever," he told the party, "sits down will sleep, and whoever sleeps will die."

The companions of Dr. Solander heeded his counsel, and it was well for him who gave it, for by it he himself was saved. Notwithstanding the doctor's timely and judicious warning, he This representation is a good emblem was the first whose senses were stupito illustrate the advantage of being fied, and who sunk upon the ground. connected with our fellow-beings by Death was at hand. His companions some bond of union. A man who followed the direction of their teacher; walks by himself is liable to many by force they roused him from his lethdangers, from which he would be pro-argy, nor would not suffer him to sit tected if his companions were with down, but kept him moving until they him. Should he stumble and break conducted him to a place of safety. his limbs by falling into a pit, which would prevent his effort to rise, how lamentable his condition; he will starve and die, unheeded by his fellow-men, because he had no companions in the hour of his misfortune.

In civil affairs it is necessary to have some bond of union to the several members of a confederacy. Where there is none, nor sympathy with cach other, they are peculiarly exposed to the attacks of insidious enemies, who It is not always the strongest, phys- can attack and easily subvert them in ically or spiritually, who seem or claim detail. To maintain their independence, to be the strongest, and no man is so and also their individual safety, it is robust and vigorous as to be absolutely necessary that each should feel their independent of his fellow-man. Hence mutual dependence on each other's exthe advantages and necessity of Chris-ertions for their own and general good. tian fellowship and communion, whereby watch and care are extended over brethren and sisters in the Lord by kindred spirits. "Two," in the words of Solomon, "are better than one; for if one shall fall, the other shall lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, for he has none to lift him up."

The high importance of having companions with us in the hour of trial, is also well illustrated by an adventure of a company of botanists, who, in their explorations, encountered a terrific snow-storm on the island of Terra del

Fuego. One of the party, Dr. Solander, aware of the effect of extreme cold to produce sleep, and that death would ensue to the person so overcome, who should yield to it and lie down, urged all his companions by no means, through

Many things exist in our social sys tem which, at the first, may seem to be useless, but which we shall find, upon examination, to be necessary for the well-being of the whole. The Apostle, in his letter to his Corinthian brethren, in comparing the members of the Church with the members of the human body, argues that as all of them are dependent upon each other, so all the members of the Christian Church, with their varied talents and occupations, and even those which are lightly esteemed are necessary for the perfection of the whole.

The celebrated apologue, or fable, of Menenius Agrippa, the Roman consul and general, may serve to illustrate the subject of mutual dependence. The Roman people were led into a state of insurrection against their rulers, under the pretext that they not only had all

..

the honors, but all the emoluments of | the nation, while they were obliged to bear all the burdens and suffer all the privations. Matters were at last brought to such an issue that their rulers were obliged to flee. Anarchy now prevailed, the public peace was broken, and ruin seemed impending. The consul and general, being high in the esteem of the insurgents, was sent to quiet these disturbances. Having assembled the disorderly multitude, he addressed them in the following man

ner:

principle of revenge, and hoping to reduce the stomach by famine, all the members, and the whole body itself, were, at length, brought into the last stage of consumption. It then plainly appeared that the stomach itself did no small service; that it contributed not less to their nourishment than they did to its support, distributing to every part that from which they derived life and vigor; for, by concocting the food, the pure blood derived from it was conveyed by the arteries to every mem ber."

"In that time in which the different It is easy to discern how the consul parts of the human body were not in applied this fable. The sensible simil. such a state of unity as they now are, itude produced the desired effect. The but each member had its separate office people were convinced that it require and distinct language; they all became the strictest union and mutual support discontented, because whatever was of high and low to preserve the body procured by their care, labor, and in-politic; that if the members of a comdustry was spent on the stomach and intestines, while they, lying at ease in the midst of the body, did nothing but enjoy whatever was provided for them.

They, therefore, conspired among themselves, and agreed that the hands should not convey food to the mouth; that the mouth should not receive what was offered to it; and that the teeth should not masticate whatever was brought to the mouth. Acting on this

munity refuse the government that necessary aid which its necessities re quire, they must all perish together.

Move, and actuate, and guide,
Divers gifts to each divide;
Placed according to thy will,
Let us all our work fulfill;
Never from our office move,
Needful to each other prove.

.

An hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest.
Isa. XXXII: 2.- The Lord is my rock, and my fortress; . . my
buckler, and my high tower. Ps. XVIII: 2.

WHEN the lone traveler, journeying on his way,
Through desert wilds in torrid lands will stray;
As sudden storms and hurricanes arise,
And raging tempests darken all the skies,
Quick to a place of refuge he must flee;
No human habitation can he see,

And soon no shelter would it be, if found;

The furious winds will level to the ground.
He may not seek a shelter near the oak,
Its sturdy trunk is broken by the stroke;
Nearer and nearer howls the angry blast,
Still bringing rain as it rushes past;
But the great Rock against the storm is sure,
He hastens to its clefts, and stands secure.

The traveler, when passing through | move rapidly onward; the lightnings certain countries subject to hurricanes flash, the wind roars, the thunder and tempests, must, when these arise, in order to escape from their fury, have some place of refuge to flee to and hide himself from the sweeping storm. The observer sees in the distance unmistakable tokens of the angry tempest approaching. The clouds, lowering,

growls near, and still nearer. The trayeler is affrighted; he looks around for a covert, or place of refuge. He may be tempted to flee to some human structure, but the tempest, which is approaching, will sweep away every thing constructed by the skill or power of

man, and all who take refuge therein | will perish in its ruins.

He may, perhaps, place confidence in the sturdy oak, which strikes its roots deep into the earth; he may clasp it round, and, facing the wild commotion, think to escape its fury, but all in vain; the monarch of the forest will be laid prostrate; its strong cords which bound it to the earth will be broken, and all who placed confidence in it will perish beneath its crushed branches.

Nothing can withstand the fury of the winds but the solid rock. The wise traveler discovers this, and flees to it for a shelter. Within its clefts he feels secure, though storms and tempests rage without; his hiding-place is in the everlasting hills, which can not be moved.

This a striking similitude of the safety of those who trust in Christ, as the Rock of their salvation. The Scriptures represent that there is a storm of indignation coming, which will sweep into perdition the whole race of ungodly men. The wicked are warned of their danger; the clouds in the distance are gathering blackness; they are told that nothing will save them but fleeing to the Rock. A vast number will not heed the warning, will not so much as turn their eyes to the heavens to ascertain the truth of what they hear; they continue, it may be, with their eyes fixed upon the ground in gathering the little pebbles and straws which lie before them, till overwhelmed by the storm. Others make something else than the Rock their trust, but miserably perish in the time of trial, while those who heed the warning flee to the Rock whose foundations are of old, hide themselves in its elefts, and are eternally safe.

Rock of Ages! cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee:
Let the water and the blood,
From thy side, a healing flood,

Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath, and make me pure.

Should my tears forever flow,
Should my zeal no languor know,
This for sin could not atone,
Thou must save, and thou alone;
In my hand no price I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyelids close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold thee on thy throne,
Rock of Ages! cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee.

"When the Spirit of Truth makes inquisition for sin," says a religious writer, "guilt is then felt, because man behelds himself a child of wrath by nature, and a condemned criminal by means of his practice. In this salutary but unhappy stage of things, he often looks behind, and every glance discovers blacker darkness and nearer approaching storms." Ilo looks around him; he sees no place of shelter in which ho can confide. It is a time of trouble and dismay. What an unspeakable comfort to discover the Rock of Ages, to which he can flee for safety, and in its recesses hide himself from the sweeping tempest-to find Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners, "a hiding-place from the storm, and covert from the tempest." Safe in him, the thunders of the broken law may echo forth all their condemnation; safe in him, the sword of vengeance and of justice, like the fluid stream, may blaze on every side, yet the soul can rest secure.

The firm and lofty rock is used in various parts of the Scriptures as an emblem of certain refuge, safety, defense, and happiness. When the sun pours down his fervid heat upon the great desert, and the traveler is fainting amid its burning sands, what more refreshing than to repose beneath the "shadow of a Great Rock in a weary land."

"Fly to the Rock!" is often a necessary | to them? Would he not reply, "Hard direction to those who venture among as the task may be, it must be tried, or the sands along the rocky sea-shore. I am a dead man. God will not work The traveler pursuing his pathway a miracle in my behalf; he will not along the iron-bound shore, finding it change the course of tides to save mo painful to his feet, ventures on the from the effects of my own laziness. I smooth sands below. The tide is out, have few minutes left, let me make the the sea is calm, the waves are a long most of them." way off; he thinks there can be no danger, so he walks on. Presently the wind begins to rise; still he thinks there can be no danger, it is only rounding that jutting cliff, there is plenty of time, and then he will be safe. Meanwhile the sea comes gradually on, wave after wave, like so many horsemen in battle array, riding one after the other. Every moment they advance a step or two; and before the man has got to the jutting cliff, he sees them dashing against his feet. What is he to do? On one side is a steep and rugged ledge of rocks; on the other side the sea, which the wind is lashing into a storm, and is rushing toward him in foaming fury.

Would a man in such a plight think of losing another moment? Would he stop to consider whether he should not hurt his hands by laying hold of the sharp stones? Would he not strain every nerve to reach a place of safety before the waves would overtake him? If his slothfulness whispered to him, "It is of no use, the ledge is very steep; you may fall back when you have got half way; stay where you are, perhaps the winds may lull and the waves may stop short, and so you will be safe here," if his slothfulness prompted such thoughts as these, would he listen

The scene is not one of mere fancy. Many accounts are given of the risk which has been run by neglecting to fleo from a rising tide. Some, by great efforts, aided by God's providence, have escaped a watery grave; others have been overwhelmed, and perished amid the mighty waters. The man who is about to be overtaken by the flowing tide is a similitude of the sinner away from Christ, the Rock of Salvation. On one side of him is the steep ledge of Repentance; on the other the waves of the bottomless pit are every moment rolling toward him, and even beginning to surround his pathway. Is this a situation for a man to stop in? Will any one in such a situation talk about the difficulty of repentance? If wise, he will not, but will put forth all his efforts to ascend the cliff, which, if ho accomplishes, all will be well; for his feet stand upon a firm foundation, against which the angry waves may' dash in vain.

Whatever we do for our salvation should be done in time, and with all our might. We ought not to defer it until we are encompassed with the waves of death. Repent now, therefore; flee to the Rock of Refuge, for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation."