to take him in, with all his believing posterity, and convey them to the port of glory.

Jehovah is her rightful owner; Immanuel is her captain; the Holy Spirit is her pilot; the Holy Bible is both chart and compass; self-examination is her log-book; her pole-star is the star of Bethlehem. Under her great Captain, the ministers of religion_take rank as officers; besides them, there are a number of petty officers. Her crew consists of all those who "follow the Captain." Passengers she carries none—all on board are "working hands."

This world is the tempestuous sea over which she makes her voyages. It is a dangerous sea; rocks, shoals, and quicksands hide their deceitful heads beneath its dark blue waves; mountainous billows roll, furious storms descend, and treacherous whirlpools entice only to destroy.

The voyage is from time to eternity. The good ship never puts back; well stocked, she carries bread of life, and waters of salvation, in abundance; no "southerly wind" ever afflicts her. The Church is a ship of war; she carries a commission, authorizing her to "sink, burn, and destroy," whatever belongs to Beelzebub, the great enemy of mankind, and to ship hands in every quarter; therefore, Beelzebub, being a "prince of the power of the air," comes out against her, armed with the four winds of heaven, and attacks her as he did the house of Job's eldest son.

Bravely does she behave amid the storm. She would weather the gale, were it not that there is treachery on board; some "Achan" compels her to "about ship." She runs into the bay of Promise, and casts first of all the anchor of Hope. Though "perplexed," she is "not in despair." Hope is as an anchor to the soul in the day of adversity. Hope, however, is not sufficient; another anchor divides the parting wave, even that of Faith. Faith takes hold of the promises made to the Church in her times of trial, especially this one: "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." Prayer, consequently, is "let go" next. Ah! now she "takes hold on God;" now the vessel rights; now she is steady. Nevertheless, she is not yet delivered. What more can she do? There is yet one more anchor on board, Resignation, last of all, it is received by the yielding wave. good ship has done her duty; now she may lie still, and wait for the Salvation of God. Soon it comes; heavenly breezes fill her flowing sails; she is again under weigh for the port of glory.

The

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit."-EPH. iv. 3. many, are one body in Christ."-ROM. xii. 4.

"So we, bein

UNANIMITY.

Look! where the soldiers form a hollow square,
And thus the fortunes of the day repair;

On every side a bristling front present,

On which the fury of the foe is spent ;

'Union is strength 'gainst odds they win the day,

And proud their banners o'er the field display:

The camp, the Christian Church may sometimes teach,

To gain a triumph, or to mount a breach.

So when the armies of the cross unite,

They quickly put the alien foe to flight:
When, up and doing, united and awake,

They drive back Satan, and his kingdom shake;
The standard-bearer with his brethren stands,

By love united. Love binds hearts and hands,
The flag of Jesus high aloft he bears,

That tells of vict'ries won, by groans and tears;
Of future victories, too, this is the sign,
When all the kingdoms, Saviour, shall be thine;
Then let the heroes of the cross unite
And quickly put the alien foes to flight;

And win the world in great Messiah's right.

THE soldiers are here seen formed into what is termed a hollow square. They have been well nigh beaten on the field of battle;

this position is resorted to as a last effort; on every side they present an array of glittering arms. The foe advances; still they stand their ground; they repel the onset; they change the fortunes of the day. By union they rout the enemy, and gain a complete victory.

"Behold,' says the Psalmist," how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." It is not only good and pleasant, but essential to success. Christians have a work to do—a great work. Union is strength in religious warfare, as well as in military tactics. "United we stand; divided we fall." It is a part of the plans of military commanders to divide the forces of the enemy, both in the council and in the field; so likewise it is the plan of the grand adversary of souls to divide Christians. The grea: Head of the Church has provided a principle which binds, nourishes, and consolidates the various members of the body together,—for we are all members one of another. If this principle is neglected, the army of the cross becomes easily dispersed. The principle is Love.

An aged father, when dying, called his sons around his dying bed, and, in order to show them the necessity of union among themselves, he commanded a bundle of sticks, which he had provided, to be brought before him. Beginning with the eldest, he requested him to break the bundle of sticks; he could not. The next was called, and so on down to the youngest; all failed: upon which the old man cut the cord which bound the sticks together, and they were easily broken, one by one. Love is the cord that binds together. Union alone supplies the lack of numbers, of talents, and of wealth. The minister of the gospel is the standardbearer in the Christian army; the membership are the soldiers of Jesus. It every soldier rallies round the standard, and all are determined to conquer or die, nothing can stand before them; they would drive back the powers of darkness, and make Apollyon fly. For want of union, antichrist and infidelity prevail, and sinners go unreclaimed. When professing Christians cease to vex each other, and turn the whole tide of their strength against the common foe, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.

PART II.

RELIGIOUS ALLEGORIES.