Luke vi. 39.-"AND HE SPAKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM, CAN THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND? SHALL THEY NOT BOTH FALL INTO THE DITCH?"

1605. The Blind Leading the Blind.-An Indian Scene. Our Lord's words had constant reference to some passing scene or event. Blindness was then, as now, common in Palestine and Eastern countries, where the heat and glare of the sun so early impairs the sight, that numbers are perfectly blind before they reach the age of forty. It is pitiable to see them as, probably to excite compassion, they wander about in troops to beg. Strange as it may seem, they lead, or attempt to lead, one another, groping about in their darkness, staggering about the roads, and not unseldom falling and pulling each other down. Surely such a scene was before the Saviour's eyes as He asked the question, "Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch ?" The following extract from a letter, written in India, contains an allusion to this subject :—

"We seem in this country living in Bible days, and every moment something occurs to remind us of Bible words. We had not been here more than three days before we saw so perfect an illustration of the blind leading the blind, that the verses in Matthew and Luke have scarcely left our minds since. We were returning from an evening drive, when, as we suddenly turned a corner of the road, a curious sight presented itself. Three blind men, having heard the sound of carriage-wheels, were, in their haste, stumbling across in the best manner they could. The foremost held behind him a stick, to which another clung, and he in like manner supported a third. How foolish it seemed for those who were dark themselves to attempt to guide others! and how unwise in those who submitted to such guidance! The result of such folly may easily be anticipated. In their hurry and trepidation the leader actually stumbled by the side of the road, and his deluded followers fell over him."-C. W.

James ii. 17.-"EVEN SO FAITH, IF IT HATH NOT WORKS, IS DEAD, BEING ALONE."

1606. Faith and Works.—An Apparent Contradiction Reconciled. -The late Rev. F. W. Robertson, in one of his letters, thus illustrates the apparent discrepancy between the teaching of St. Paul and St. James upon the subject of faith and works :

Suppose I say, 'A tree cannot be struck without thunder;' that is true, for there is never destructive lightning without thunder. But again, if I say, 'The tree was struck by lightning without thunder,' that is true too, if I mean that the lightning alone struck it without the thunder striking it. Yet read the two assertions together, and they seem contradictory. So, in the same way, St. Paul says, 'Faith justifies without works,'-that is, faith alone is that which justifies us, not works. But St. James says, 'Not a faith which is without works.' There will be works with faith, as there is thunder with lightning; but just as it is not the thunder but the lightning, the lightning without the thunder, that strikes the tree, so it is not the works which justify. Put it in one sentence-Faith alone justifies, but not the faith which is alone. Lightning alone strikes, but not the lightning which is alone without thunder; for that is only summer lightning, and harmless.

Genesis ix. 2.-"AND THE FEAR OF YOU AND THE DREAD OF YOU SHALL BE UPON EVERY BEAST OF THE EARTH, AND UPON EVERY FOWL OF THE AIR; UPON ALL THAT MOVETH UPON THE EARTH, AND UPON ALL THE FISHES OF THE SEA; INTO YOUR HAND ARE THEY DELIVERED.

1607. Man's Power over the Animal Creation.-During the Sepoy rebellion in India a party of British soldiers were being towed up the Indus on flats by a steamer. From time to time they stopped, landed, cooked a meal, and rested for a short time. On one of these occasions two of the men were walking along a narrow path, with high, thick, jungly grass on each side. As they proceeded, it came into the mind of one of them that where they were was a suitable resort for tigers. Scarcely had the thought crossed him, when there emerged from the grass, and faced them, an immense tiger. He cried, and ran. The other, by a sort of stupid fascination, stared at the animal. This stare was probably their deliverance. Making off from them, the magnificent fellow leaped over a party of soldiers at cards, snapped up a dog, and left the neighbourhood.

Daniel viii. 5. -"THE GOAT HAD A NOTABLE HORN."

1608. The Horned Head.-Alexander the Great.-In volume vi. of the Biblical Treasury, article 1286, we have said that the goat spoken of in this prophecy was symbolical of Alexander the Great. The foregoing illustration, representing him with the horn which he himself assumed, is copied from a medal in the Bodleian library, Oxford. Kitto remarks that "the Oriental Mohammedans still recognize the horns of Alexander, without being aware of the origin of the symbol. In their writings he is frequently called by the title of The Horned,' without any addition."

Isaiah xxxvii. 29.-"I WILL PUT MY HOOK IN THY NOSE." 1609. Rings in the Nose.-The cow, the tame buffalo, the bear, &c., in the East Indies, are frequently seen with rings in their noses, through which a cord is drawn, and the beast guided by it, as the horse is guided by the bit of the bridle. The Hindoos compare a person who is the slave of another to a cow led by the ring in her

nose.

1 Kings xxii. 34.-"A CERTAIN MAN DREW A BOW AT A VENTURE.

1610. The Missionary Spirit kindled. Richard Knill and Aaron Buzacott-In the memoir of the Rev. Aaron Buzacott an interesting incident is related of the way in which the missionary spirit was first evoked :

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"Early in the year 1816 the Rev. R. Knill visited Devonshire, his native county, prior to his embarkation as a missionary to Madras. In several towns of North Devon he gave his reasons for becoming a missionary, and his addresses created some excitement. On one of these occasions Aaron Buzacott was sitting with the choir in the gallery, behind the pulpit, when Mr. Knill, after relating how he himself had been led to say, 'Lord, here am I; send me,' turned round, and, as if pointing directly to him, said, 'There is a young man in that gallery who is now saying, "Lord, here am I; send me."" Our young friend had already secretly uttered this prayer, and when Mr. Knill made this appeal, he could scarcely refrain from uttering it aloud. It will be readily believed that this circumstance exerted no small influence upon his future career. Timidity, however, frustrated an attempt he made to see Mr. Knill, but the appeal was never forgotten. Through many a day, and through many a sleepless night, his heart was ever ejaculating, 'Lord, here am I; send me.' He says, 'In consequence of my youth, and conscious unfitness for such a work, shame prevented me from mentioning the subject to any earthly friend; but I did not soon give up the hope that God would some day hear and answer my prayer.'

Ecclesiastes v. 4.

WHEN THOU VOWEST A VOW UNTO GOD, DEFER NOT TO PAY IT; FOR HE HATH NO PLEASURE IN FOOLS: PAY THAT WHICH THOU HAST VOWED."

1611.-Promising and Performing.-The Broken Bowl.-Sir William Napier, when taking a long country walk in the neighbourhood of Bath, met a little peasant girl, who was crying bitterly, with a broken bowl in her hand. Sir William inquired the cause of her tears, and encouraged by his kind face and voice, she told her tale; how she had broken the bowl which had held her father's dinner, and was afraid now to go home, for she knew her mother would be very angry, and would punish her. But a sudden idea seemed to strike her, and looking up in Sir William's face, she

exclaimed, "But ee can mend it, cannot ee ?" "No, but he could give her sixpence to buy another." He pulled out his purse and was dismayed to find it quite empty. He told the child, however, that if she came to the same place at the same hour next day, he would be sure to meet her and to bring a sixpence with him, and that she must tell her mother this. On reaching his home, however, Sir William found a note from a friend at Bath, inviting him to dinner next day, to meet a gentleman whom he particularly wished to see. He recollected with regret his promise to the little girl, and considered whether it might not be possible to combine the two. But he soon saw this could not be done, and refused the tempting dinner invitation, saying he had "a pre-engagement."" "I could not disappoint the child," he said to his daughters; "she trusted in me so implicitly."

Proverbs xxix. 6.-"IN THE TRANSGRESSION OF AN EVIL MAN THERE IS A SNARE."

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1612. Evil Habits a Snare.-Abdallah and the Fly.-In a characteristic and highly interesting work by the Rev. Dr. Hamilton, on the " Prodigal Son," the following striking fable is related :"It was the third hour of the day, and Abdallah still lingered over the morning repast, when there came a little fly and alighted on the rim of his goblet. It sipped a particle of syrup and was gone. It came next morning, and the next, and the next again, till it caught the eye of the scholar. As he considered it, and as it gave forth its many colours and moved itself aright, it seemed beautiful exceedingly, and in his heart he could not find to drive it away. Wherefore it came day by day continually, and waxing bolder and bolder it withal became greater and greater, till in the size as of a locust could be perceived as the likeness of a man ; and the greater that it grew, the more winning were its ways, frisking like a sunbeam, singing like a peri, so that the eyes of the simple one were blinded, and in all this he did not perceive the subtlety of an evil jinn. Wherefore, waxing bolder and yet bolder, whatsoever of dainty meats its soul desired the lying spirit freely took, and when, waxing wroth, the son of the prophet said, 'This is my daily portion from the table of the mufti; there is not enough for thee and me,' playing one of its pleasant tricks, the brazen