Scripture Illustrated.-The Righteous like the Palm. Himself in it, and its preciousness is rising higher and higher. To know God and Jesus Christ is eternal life, and everlasting life is crowned and felicitated with ever - enlarging and transforming knowledge of the same Divine objects. As fresh benefits accrue, the song waxes louder and louder. And new therefore, because sung with ever-growing gratitude, wonder, and love. Love is ever surpassing itself, swelling with higher flood, burning with keener flame, and expressing itself in loftier language. My days of praise shall ne'er be past, For who that loves, can love enough? Even now, saints on the verge of heaven, are most ready to sing, and most entranced in singing of Christ, just because they are holier and happier -more heavenlike. Dr. Owen spent his last days in writing on 'The Glory of Christ. When Dudley Tyng was within a few minutes of his end, and 137 his heart-stricken relatives were all watching around, he suddenly said sing,' and as in the agony of the moment no one responded, he himself with dying voice struck up Rock of ages, cleft for me.' His wife immediately catching the strain sang it through, but while its blessed lines were yet echoing, Dudley Tyng had ascended with the song to Him whose ears caught the praise and whose redeeming, dying love it celebrated. Yes, Jesus' love, that love which His sacrificial death embodied, is stronger than death, and makes the dark valley vocal. It is new, too, because the theme is really infinite-the love can never be fathomed. God only knows the love of God-angels cannot penetrate the profound abyss, for like God himself it is an unutterable, everlasting mystery-Hence the song must necessarily be new, as resulting from inexhaustible accummulating gratitude, and itself being an inextinguishable inspiration :— 'The song demands and crowns eternity.' Scripture Illustrated. THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL yielding its large clusters of golden FLOURISH AS THE PALM-TREE. fruit from generation to generation. •The righteous shall flourish as the Palm-tree. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bring forth fruit in old age.'-Psa. xcii. 12-14. THE royal poet has derived more than one figure from the customs of men and the habits of this noble tree, with which to adorn his sacred ode. The palm grows slowly, but steadily, from century to century, uninjured by those alternations of the seasons which affect other trees. It does not rejoice overmuch in winter's copious rain, nor does it droop under the drought and burning sun of summer. Neither heavy weights which men place upon its head, nor the importunate urgency of the wind, can sway it aside from perfect uprightness. There it stands, looking calmly down upon the world below, and patiently They bring forth fruit in old age. The allusion to being planted in the house of the Lord is probably drawn from the custom of planting beautiful and long-lived trees in the courts of the temples, and palaces, and in all 'high places' used for worship. This is still common; nearly every palace, and mosque, and convent in modern Palestine has such trees in the courts, and, being well-protected there, they flourish exceedingly. Solomon covered all the walls of the Holy of holies' (Kings vi. 29) round about with palm trees. They were thus planted, as it were, within the very house of the Lord; and their presence there was not only ornamental, but appropriate and highly suggestive;-the very best emblem, not only of patience in well-doing, but of the rewards of the righteous-a fat 138 Scripture Illustrated.-Deceitful Friends like Summer Brooks, &c. and flourishing old age-a peaceful end-a glorious immortality. DECEITFUL FRIENDS LIKE SUMMER BROOKS. 'My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away, which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: what time they wax warm, they vanish when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. The paths of their way are turned aside: they go to nothing and perish. The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. -Job vi. 15-20, THE phenomena of streams in Palestine aptly illustrate the character of Job's false friends. In winter, when there is no need of them, they are full and strong, and loud in their bustling professions and promises; but in the heat of summer, when they are wanted, they disappoint your hope. You think your fields will be irrigated, and yourself and your flocks refreshed by them, when, lo! they deal deceitfully and pass away. Nearly all the streams there, what time they wax warm,' thus vanish, go to nothing, and perish. Such were Job's friends. There is another illustration equally pertinent. You meet a clear, sparkling brook, and, so long as you follow it among the cool mountains, it holds cheerful converse with you by its merry gambols over the rocks; but as soon as you reach the plain, where it is hot,' it begins to dwindle, grow sad and discouraged, and finally fails altogether. Those which suggested the comparison of Job probably flowed down from the high lands on the other side Jordan, in Gilead and Bashan, and came to nothing in the neighbouring desert; for it is added that the troops of Tema looked, and the companies of Sheba waited for them, and were confounded because they had hoped.' It was on those bigh mountains only that Job could become familiar with the winter phenomena, where the streams are blackish by reason of the ice;' for not only are Lebanon and Hermon covered with snow in the winter, and the brooks there frozen, but the same is true also of the higher parts of the Hauran, and of the mountains to the south of it, where Job is supposed to have resided. THE SPARROW ON THE HOUSE-TOP. 'I watch, and am as a sparrow upon the housetop.'-Psalm cii. 7. No traveller in Syria will need an introduction to the sparrow on the bousetop. There are countless numbers of them about you. They are a tame, troublesome, and impertinent generation, and nestle just where you don't want them. They stop up your stove and waterpipes with their rubbish, build in the windows and under the beams of the roof, and would stuff your hat full of stubble in half a day if they found it hanging in a place to suit them. They are extremely pertinatious in asserting their right of possession, and have not the least reverence for any place or thing. David alludes to these characteristics of the sparrow in Psalm lxxxiv., when he complains that they had appropriated even the altars of God for their nests. Concerning himself he says, 'I watch, and am as a sparrow upon the housetop.' When one of them has lost its mate-a matter of every day occurrence-he will sit on the house-top alone, and lament by the hour his sad bereavememt. These birds are snared and caught in great numbers; but as they are small and not much relished for food, five sparrows may still be sold for two farthings. When we see their countless numbers, and the eagerness with which they are destroyed as a worthless nuisance; we can better appreciate the assurance that our Heavenly Father, who takes care of them, so that not one can fall to the ground without his notice, will surely take care of us, who are of more value than many sparrows. Notices of Books. THE PSALMS. A New Version. By the more familiar reading of both ་ passages. In Psalm xxxvi. the sixth verse, the rendering is too literal. Thy righteousness is like God's Lord Congleton. Duo. cloth, pp 312. London: Yapp, Cavendish-square. The purpose of the author in this 'new version' is good. Lord Congle-mountains,' does certainly transfer the ton thinks he can help to put the words from one language to another, English reader in a better position for but not the sense. A well-known understanding the Psalms-by re- Hebrew mode of forming the superstoring the parallelisms of the Hebrew lative degree is, by prefixing the name text, by printing each lyric in appro- of God. This is an illustration in priate paragraphs, and by giving, even point, and should therefore be transat the risk of stiffness, a uniform lated; Thy righteousness is like the translation of the same Hebrew word. highest mountains.' Some changes have also been ventured upon, based on the labours of Jahn, Rodgers, and Davidson. Of the last perhaps one of the most notable is Psalm xvi. 2-3. The words, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, my goodness extendeth not unto thee,' (ver. 2) have been often read over by plain and unlettered folks without the most hazy conception of their meaning. Lord Congleton, on the authorities before-mentioned, renders it in such a way that even a little child could not fail to catch the sense. To Jehovah, I say, Thou art my Lord, Thou art my happiness; I have nothing besides thee.' A very happy rendering is also given of the last verse of the 2nd Psalm. 'Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, Every variation from the received These, and some other defects notwithstanding, we thank Lord Congleton for his new version. It is portable, printed in good type; and divided, like the Hebrew, into five parts. The book would have been all the more valuable if a general introduction had been given to the Psalms, and an index to the principal subjects. THE CONFESSIONS OF A MEDIUM. This book is written by an American, man. THE LIGHTHOUSE. No. 3. March, 1861. THE EVANGELIST. No. 3, March 1861. London: Tresidder. The first is a new serial with a pretentious mission. It is designed to expose, so its title page declares, the errors of pantheistic neology and infidelity.' The animus of the whole may be gathered from the fact that Emerson, Maurice, Jowett, (miscalled Jowl), and Lynch, are all classed together, as all alike, and all holding opinions in harmony with German divines and the ancient Romans. Surely ignorant censure could descend to no lower deep. Much as we dissent from the opinious of any, or of all these men, we are utterly at a loss to understand by what perverse and crooked logic they can be said to have any common affinity with each other. Lynch is also dubbed Dr., an honour which he will first learn to be his from this sapient serial, and which will create as much astonishment as the discovery that Ralfp Waldo Emerson and he are brethren in unbelief. The second is also a new serial, but without any specific mission. It contains some useful papers, and may find readers in home circles not already amply supplied with denominational or other serials. PUT A SYDE AT HOME: or the New Testament Plan of Giving. By J. C. Pike. London: Simpkin & Co. We are glad to find that greater attention is being paid in our churches to the 'New Testament Plan of Giving.' AtNottingham, Derby, and other places in the Midland district; in Yorkshire and elsewhere, the churches are happily returning to the primitive mode, which will be found not simply good, but the best. There is a power in it which astonishes all who have returned to it, and its general adoption by our churches would be certain to mark, not only an era of advancement in every individual church, but an era of advancement in the Connexion itself. The esteemed Secretary for our Missionary Society was requested by the newly-formed Benevolent Society of the church with which he is connected, to preach a sermon on the subject of Christian liberality. He very wisely selected as his theme-the 'New Testament Plan of Giving;' and the pamphlet before us contains the substance of that discourse. 'Put a syde at home' is Tyndale's and Cranmer's rendering of the passage 'lay by him in store.' Mr. Pike first considers the admonition Paul gives in the words Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as the Lord hath prospered bim, that there be no gatherings when I come,' and does this with a view of unfolding the plan suggested; as showing what is to be done, by whom, the proportion stored, when, and for what reason. A few suggestions are then offered as to the appropriation of the treasured fund. We commend the pamphlet to every reader unacquainted with the New Testament Plan of Giving.' Correspondence. HOW DID YOU LIKE THE To the Editor of the General 6 Following out this train of thought, I came to the conclusion that this error was only so common among Christians Baptist and it set me to work to sum up a few because it was not recognized as such, of the reasons why this practice should be discontinued. DEAR SIR,-Returning from our chapel a few days ago, I was accosted by a friend with the inquiry which one so often hears in like circumstances, How did you like the preacher?' This inquiry very naturally led us both to launch out into an attempted criticism upon the minister, the subject of his discourse, and the manner in which he treated it. Leaving my friend and proceeding homeward, I could not but meditate upon the want of Christian spirit we had expressed in canvassing the minister's remarks; and this again led to the thought, is it wise so to do? Is it right or wrong to make this and other similar inquiries immediately after leaving a place of worship? Having done so, I thought I should like to make more public the result of my cogitations, as I found the errors likely to result from this practice to be more numerous, and of a more serious nature, than I at first supposed. I therefore, Mr. Editor, send the enclosed to you; and if you think it would be likely to be of any benefit to the readers of our Denominational Magazine, will you kindly find it a corner therein ? In hearing any sermon, every person ought most certainly to judge for himself, whether, not only in the substance, but in every particular it is in accordance with the word of God, receiving with humility all that is con Correspondence.-How do you like the Preacher? 141 sistent therewith, and charitably over- I will bo quite forgotten, the important looking any remarks which may not, in truths declared will be quite unthought his opinion, coincide with it. In re- of, and their designed effects altogether turning from any place where we have evaded, by this foolish, not to say been engaged in the worship of God, sinful practice. the heart, with all its avenues, should be strictly guarded, lest the word be allowed to slip out of the mind, leaving behind it naught but the very transitory feeling of the moment, and all we have heard, should be stored therein, to be meditated upon in silence, to be prayed over in private, as well as in public, and ever afterwards to be worked up into our daily life and conversation. But it is exceedingly common, as everyone must have observed more or less, to walk home from the house of God in company with friends, talking over the subject of the sermon, the way in which the minister handled it, and not unfrequently most of all, of the minister himself. If this method is not directly sinful, surely it cannot be the most profitable way of spending our time together, for if closely examined, it will, I think, be found to produce, one or all, of the following evils. 1. Scorn and derision of sacred things. When Christians get into the habit of watching for all the petty mistakes or flaws in a minister's delivery, or his sermon in general; and further still, of exposing them in mixed company, without any reason except the love of criticism; I think they are fast hastening towards a disgust with some of the things in Christianity itself which may not be very pleasant to their minds, in their naturally sinful and vitiated state. Depend upon it, Satan will not let such a good opportunity go unimproved, but will do his best to cause a cavilling against the errors of the preachers of Christianity to become by an easy transition a cavalling against some of the doctrines of the Christian religion itself. 2. An unchristian habit of censoriousness will be very likely to result from such a custom.-Every little slip of the tongue, error in pronunciation, grammatical error, awkwardness in the delivery, or gesture, will thus become the theme of conversation, and often of severe animadversion; while the good, solid, digestable matter, which has been brought out for our improvement 3. Pride will be almost sure to spring up in such suitable ground.— This habit will lead people to think more highly of themselves than they have any just reason to do, and induce them to think themselves competent judges of the hidden things of the kingdom, when their proper place would be as children to sit humbly at the feet of some able expounder of the sacred word, desiring as new-born babes the sincere milk of the word, that they might grow thereby. If the above observations be just, (and are they not all likely results of this pernicious practice?) would it not be very much wiser in our walks from the sanctuary to ask ourselves individually, what good have I received from the words I have heard? Has it been to me a word of consolation, of encouragement, of reproof, of conviction, of humiliation? and if upon inquiry, we find that it has not been so, would it not be wise to pursue the interrogation still further, and ask secondly-why did I not profit by the service? Was it because I brought up with me all my worldly troubles, cares, and thoughts? Did I seek preparation of heart by a proper attention to prayer and meditation before I came to God's house? Did I carefully lay aside all malice and envy? Have I any quarrel with any of my Christian brethren who sit in the same chapel? and have I dared to come thus to God's altar to lay my gift thereon, before I have forgiven him, in direct opposition to the words of him who taught us to say, 'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us? Did I guard against a wandering mind, and strive to be in the spirit on the Lord's-day? And having the words of life, have I received them in pure child-like faith? These, and other kindred inquiries, carried home and pressed till answered, would, I am convinced, often leave the sin at our own door, instead of the complaint at the minister's. They would help to keep the conscience tender, and aid us in a continual watch |